Fringe Test spinner Steve O'Keefe has avoided a broken leg in a rare positive injury diagnosis after being hurt in the Big Bash League.
The Sydney Sixers bowler left the ground in pain after suffering a lower leg injury in an innocuous fielding incident during the loss to Perth on Monday.
Scans have ruled out a leg fracture for O'Keefe, who has missed cricket to hand, calf and hamstring injuries as well as suspension over the past two years.
O'Keefe will have more scans in Sydney this week.
The latest injury caps a turbulent time for the 33-year-old, who played in a Test match for Australia against Bangladesh only four months ago while still being suspended by NSW for an incident following an awards night.
O'Keefe was in April banned from this year's domestic one-day cup and fined $20,000 by Cricket Australia for making offensive comments, only nine months after copping another fine for an incident at a Sydney pub.
But it didn't stop him being picked as Australia's third spinner - alongside Nathan Lyon and Ashton Agar - for the second Test against Bangladesh in Chittagong in September.
O'Keefe missed out on being called into Australia's squad for the fifth Ashes Test starting on Thursday at the SCG, with fellow left-arm finger spinner Agar getting the nod.
O'Keefe also missed out on a CA central contract for the 2017-18 season.
In the Sixers' clash with Adelaide at the SCG last week, O'Keefe was bizarrely not called to the bowling crease by skipper Johan Botha as they fell to another defeat.
Spinner Soumil Chhibber has replaced O'Keefe in the Sixers squad for their encounter with the Melbourne Renegades in Geelong on Wednesday.
Daniel Hughes, who was a late withdrawal from the clash with the Scorchers due to a quad strain, is a chance to return as the Sixers aim for their first win of the campaign following four losses.
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