Onions ruled out of Ashes tour

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England bowler Graham Onions is to have back surgery next week that will rule him out of this winter's Ashes series in Australia.

The 27-year-old has struggled with the stress fracture-related problem for much of this year and the England and Wales Cricket board described the surgery, which will sideline Onions for up to nine months, as a last resort.

The Durham player, one of Wisden's cricketers of the year for 2009, said: "Obviously I'm shattered to have been ruled out of the Ashes with the prospect of a lengthy recovery period."