We’ve got injury updates on Brisbane Heat duo Xavier Bartlett and Spencer Johnson, plus some concerns for the availability of a bunch of English imports and Peter Siddle possibly being rotated.
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The Brisbane Heat are a hot SuperCoach topic given they have the Round 1 triple and Honeyball understands left-arm fast bowler Spencer Johnson’s availability for the start of the BBL is getting tight due to injury, with the quick set to be withdrawn from Australia’s T20I squad for the upcoming series in India from November 23 to December 3, on the eve of the BBL season starting December 7.
Johnson hasn’t played at state level for SA this season nor for West Torrens in SA Premier Cricket, having suffered a hamstring tweak while on Australia duty in the ODI series India in September. He is still experiencing hamstring tenderness and is likely to be allowed more time to recover at home given his injury history.
Also Xavier Bartlett hasn’t played at state level this season and been relegated to batting only at club level following a back injury sustained during the winter playing in the UK.
Honeyball understands Bartlett is due to be bowling in Premier Cricket later this month and all going well should be available for any practice matches prior to the opening BBL game. He did play for Queensland’s 2nd XI last week as a batsman only, hitting the winning runs.
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England’s disastrous World Cup defence and premature elimination means they’ll likely select a completely new-look squad for their next white-ball series, which is against the West Indies in December.
Indeed, that clashes with roughly Rounds 1-4 in BBL, potentially impacting a raft of English recruits, namely Harry Brook, Zak Crawley, Rehan Ahmed, Sam Hain and Jamie Overton, although you’d imagine they may move on from veterans like James Vince and Chris Jordan. Already Ben Stokes has announced he’ll have knee surgery and David Willey has confirmed his retirement, while 36-year-olds Moeen Ali and Dawid Malan might be at the end in international white-ball cricket.
Brook, 24, has a Round 1 double with the Stars but is in the current World Cup squad and is seen as a future star, so seems set to be selected. Scorchers recruit Crawley, 25, is another on the Round 1 double but he was England’s captain for a recent ODI tour of Ireland so must be in their sights. Sixers 19-year-old spinner Rehan – who also has a Round 1 double – seems in line for an England call-up too.
SIGNINGS/RE-SIGNINGS
The Brisbane Heat rounded out their 18-member squad with the signing of Jack Wood ($62k BWL) who played a one-off game for them a few years back when they were COVID-hit and he was a froggy-styled spinner.
He’s since evolved his game into being a batsman, finishing as the leading scorer 379 runs for Ipswich in Queensland’s T20 Max in August and September with 379 runs for Ipswich. He was also named in the Team of the Tournament, with a strike of 160.59 and average of 54.14. If Matt Renshaw is away on Test duty, he’s half a chance to play, especially if Josh Brown isn’t hitting his straps.
Heat coach Wade Seccombe said about Wood: “Originally, we signed him as a spin bowler who can bat, but the past year or so has really switched that perception and the development of his T20 batting has established him as a dangerous option anywhere in the order.
“He made the most of his opportunities in the KFC T20 Max competition this year, where he was one of the stand-out performers for the Hornets and that level of return in a quality competition has us confident in what he can bring to the squad.”
The Hobart Hurricanes will announce two new signings on Tuesday afternoon, taking their squad from 15 to 17, close to the 18-member maximum. Sam Heazlett has been linked.
INJURY NEWS
Renegades recruit Peter Siddle, who turns 39 later this month, was rested from Victoria’s Sheffield Shield side last week and he spoke about the benefits of rotation for him, in a potential sign of something similar this BBL season, given the Gades’ attack boasts Kane Richardson, Tom Rogers, Will Sutherland, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Adam Zampa.
Siddle said: “I’ve been saying it to the coaches and the boys here, something I haven’t had over the years was that time to rest. Now I’m getting that. I’m getting to rest the body a bit. When you go, you can go. I’m definitely seeing the benefit of that. I need it, I’m a lot older than I used to be. I’m enjoying it, those extended rests are helping freshen me up.”
Sixers all-rounder Hayden Kerr returned from an adductor injury in the Marsh Cup on the weekend, although that came at the expense of potential cheapie Jack Edwards who, according to Cricket NSW: “Was not considered for selection as he manages minor niggles.”
Scorchers all-rounder Aaron Hardie sustained a low-grade quad injury although it seems short-term, while WA coach Adam Voges said Ashton Agar’s calf injury recurrence is going to make him touch and go for their BBL opener.
Voges said: “He’s not back until BBL. I think that’s conservative in terms of a timeframe for getting him back, but we’re just giving him every chance to be one hundred per cent by the time he does come back. So we’ll welcome him back to the Scorchers.”
Agar’s timeline may be relevant for Cooper Connolly who has been out with a toe/foot injury but returned this weekend at Premier Cricket level for Scarborough, with both potentially playing that number 7 role for the Scorchers.
Voges also provided an update on Jhye Richardson following his shoulder dislocation. He said: “Thankfully it’s not too bad but having said that, he still sustained an injury to that shoulder.
“We’re targeting Shield (match number) five for him which is only two weeks away. It’s probably more about getting a bit of stability back into the shoulder in the field as much as anything, but we’re also being a little bit precautionary… It will now just be a case of him spending the next two weeks getting ready and the Shield game against South Australia at the WACA is what we’re targeting.”
Gades batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk returned from a hamstring injury this week for SA, while the SACA provided an update on Wes Agar’s back injury. SACA Senior Physiotherapist Sam Offord said: “Wes aggravated his back and had some spasms that hampered him in the second half of the last Shield game.
“We have taken a conservative approach and rested him for this weeks’ Shield game against Queensland. Wes will have a period of rehab at home and will be reassessed towards the end of this week to determine his return to play timeframes.”
Nathan Ellis returned from a groin injury for Tasmania in the Marsh Cup, while Hurricanes coach Jeff Vaughan gave an update on Riley Meredith who has been sidelined with a side issue. He said: “He’s not far away. We’ve got a couple of games lined up, Shield, second XI and club cricket before BBL. He’s back bowling in the nets. It’ll be somewhere just before or the start of BBL.”
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