England spinner Graeme Swann penned a column in The Sun a few days ago expressing concern his elbow was starting to give him grief again.
Scans have confirmed what his body was telling him during the warm-up match in Queenstown - his elbow is no good and he needs an operation.
The 33-year-old will miss the rest of the series and will fly to the United States to get the surgery.
It is blow both personally and for the team. He is a key bowler in the touring side's attack.
''When the news came back that, you know, I did need surgery, I was obviously very disappointed,'' Swann said.
''I've looked forward to this tour for a long time because I love New Zealand and I was really looking forward to taking part in this series but it is not to be.''
Swann had an operation on his elbow in 2009 and has been managing the injury. But with it flaring up again, and the prospect of missing what might be his final two Ashes series, Swann felt it was the right time to get the problem addressed. He desperately wanted to avoid having surgery, though.
''It is a huge year for England cricket and a huge year for me as well, so if this means taking a more active part in it, then it is something I've got to do.
''If I don't have the surgery, I know it is more or less curtains. I've been very much buoyed by the success last time I had to have it done. My elbow was in a lot worse shape then than it is now, so I'm very confident that I'll bounce back in a short space of time and be fighting fit.''
Swann said he had struggled with a sore elbow at times but it was more niggly than serious.
But before the warm-up game in Queenstown he felt pain and it ''rapidly got worse''.
He got the scans in Dunedin and the results were sent to his specialist in the United States, so he did not know until yesterday morning how bad it was.
In layman's terms, he has some floating bone in the joint which needs removing.
''It does not seem anywhere near as dire as the last time around, when it was like a bomb had gone off in there.''
The rehabilitation is not very pleasant. His arm will be connected to a machine which moves the elbow ''back and forth, back and forth for two weeks - day and night''.
''It is horrendous. It nearly drove me around the bend last time. I didn't have a 2-year-old child running around the house last time, so that could be interesting.''
Swann's misfortune is good news for at least one Englishman: Monty Panesar, the popular second spinner who will now shoulder the slow bowling duties.
The English will be hoping Panesar will not be required today as they prepare to bat first. Play was abandoned without a ball being bowled yesterday. Weather permitting, the test will start at 10am today.
