AUSSIE ace John Hastings could be back from injury sooner than expected after Worcestershire’s 2017 overseas signing went under the knife.

The 31-year-old had surgery on his right knee to repair “significant damage” to the patella tendon he injured in the Sheffield Shield playing for Victoria Down Under.

Before the operation, the fast-bowling all-rounder said there was no guarantee over his availability for the County next year. 

But New Road director of cricket Steve Rhodes is now optimistic Hastings will be fit to play next summer sooner than anticipated after originally looking to bring in a replacement for the first half of the campaign.

Rhodes said: “John had the operation and the surgeon was delighted with the outcome.

“They removed a chipped bone and are very pleased with the state of his knee.

“We know now, if the rehab work goes well, John will be available a lot sooner again to play more cricket for Worcestershire than had been originally anticipated.

“The best possible scenario is John manages to be available for the first game of the season in April but we are not counting our chickens as it might be slightly later than that.

“What it does do is affect our search for an overseas replacement in coming at things from a different angle, for example having an overseas bowler on standby, and, as we get nearer to the season and know where John is in his recovery, we will know what we need.”

Hastings had been ruled out of the rest of Australia’s domestic season which finishes after the shield final starting on March 26.

Before the surgery, he said: “I will be back playing again. It’s not a career-ending injury.

“I won’t be available for the whole county season next year, which is disappointing, but I am still hoping to play for Worcestershire from June or July.

“That’s my aim but I have to wait and see how long I will need to recover after surgery.”

Hastings, who has played one Test, nine Twenty20 internationals and 28 one-day internationals, was left out of Australia’s one-day squad against New Zealand despite being his nation’s leading wicket-taker in the format this year with 26 at a 24.13 average.

An ankle problem ended his involvement in the tri-series in the West Indies in June and he then broke a finger in the Matador Cup in October — but he has not avoided injury for long on his return.

“Trevor Hohns (Australia’s interim chairman of selectors) rang me and we had a conversation about not being in the ODI side,” Hastings said.

“He obviously communicated what’s going to happen in the future as well and that I’m still in their thoughts.

“They just said I hadn’t been playing much and the big boys were back. I’ll be doing everything I possibly can to get back fully fit.”