Speedster Shaun Tait has a new injury drama after hobbling off the Gabba with a hamstring scare.
A despairing Tait left the field after bowling just five overs of his new-ball spell in South Australia's one-day loss to Queensland.
The former Test super slinger, on the comeback trail after being weighed down by mental and physical exhaustion last season, limped off after being alarmed by tightness in his hamstring.
Tait struggled through his five overs, going wicketless for 33 runs after being savaged by a clean-hitting James Hopes, who belted 75 off 61 balls as the Bulls raced to an easy win under the Duckworth-Lewis method.
Redbacks skipper Graham Manou believed the 25-year-old's absence from the game and his heavy workload as a strike bowler may be catching up with his battle-scarred body.
"After seven months out of the game we're expecting a hell of a lot of him in this competition, and more so the four-day competition, to play so much cricket in a row it's starting to catch up with his body," Manou said.
"We knew at the start of the year that Shaun was a guy we'd have to be very careful with as far as managing him.
"He's a pretty valuable commodity, not only for us but for Australian cricket as well, so we have to be careful with him."
Tait, who will return home for further medical check-ups on Thursday, is now in serious doubt for SA's next one-day match against Tasmania at the Adelaide Oval next Wednesday.
He also pulled out of one Sheffield Shield match this season with hamstring tightness to concentrate on a Twenty20 exhibition match for the All Stars against Australia as well as a domestic one-dayer.
Tait, beset with elbow problems throughout his career, is focusing on limited-overs cricket as he attempts to return to the international arena.
Tait's performed well with the white ball for the Redbacks this season, taking 10 wickets in four matches before Wednesday at 18.6.
"He's pretty down," Manou said. "He does take his position in this side and his bowling responsibility quite seriously.
"To have the struggle of trying to get his body right for 12 months now, that will get him down but it's up to us as his teammates to help him through it."
