Jhye Richardson has been ruled out of the 2019 Cricket World Cup in England due to injury.
The big quick, who was thought to be in Australia’s best XI after their squad was named about three weeks ago, has been unable to recover from a dislocated shoulder and was officially ruled out by Australia’s selection panel on Wednesday morning.
Richardson sustained the shoulder injury during Australia’s recent ODI tour of Pakistan, which the visitors won 5-0, meaning they go into the World Cup on the back of eight straight wins.
It’ll be a like for like swap for the Aussies, with fellow quick Kane Richardson called into the squad.
Kane Richardson was a part of both the tour to Pakistan and the prior limited-overs tour to India in late February, and earned the spot in the squad ahead of Josh Hazlewood.
Hazlewood, like Jhye Richardson, is also on the comeback trail from injury, and has been selected in both the limited overs and four-day Australia A squad to tour England while the World Cup is taking place, with an eye to have the big quick fit for the Ashes, which start in early August.
Australian cricket physiotherapist David Beakley said it was disappointing Jhye wouldn’t be able to take part in cricket’s biggest tournament.
“This is obviously very disappointing news for the team and for Jhye, who has been exceptional throughout his rehabilitation process,” said Beakley.
“After his most recent assessment and attempting to bowl in the nets, it was clear that Jhye was not progressing as fast as required and therefore, in consultation with selectors, we made the decision to withdraw him from the squad.
“Jhye will continue with his rehabilitation and we will look to resume bowling in the coming weeks. At this stage we are still hopeful that he could be available for the Australia A tour of England.”
It now likely means that, instead of Jhye Richardson, the final spot in the pace bowling attack (should Australia play three quicks) alongside Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins, will be fought out between Jason Behrendorff and Nathan Coulter-Nile.
Australia’s updated World Cup squad
Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey, Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa
Tonka Goldman
Roar Rookie
Can Behrendorff/Starc do a Bracken/Johnson? They were a wonderful combination.
Doctor Rotcod
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't call him a big quick. I'm bigger than him at 181 cm and 80 kgs. He's a significant loss and I don't think Kane is a good substitute. I'd rather see Behrendorff. Only 7 ODIs but better in the T20. Great fielder as well
JamesH
Roar Guru
Well, yeah. All bowlers generally perform better when their team has taken early wickets. But Starc, Cummins and NCN are all perfectly capable of taking the wickets up front that Maxy and Zampa will be hoping for. Richardson's average (26) and strike rate (27) are very similar to NCN's (27 and 29 respectively). They are different styles of bowlers but both are very capable of making early breakthroughs. In fact, it's one of NCN's strengths.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Tonka, completely agree, JR has that something about his bowling that at least complimented the other guys in the starting attack. Obviously we'll have to wait till the Ashes where he'll hopefully get a few Tests to show whether English conditions suit or not. KR will replace him the squad, bit not in the best XI. That role will fall to NCN and it's now up to the 4 guys making up the attack to really step up. I can't see how Cummins & Zampa can do more as they're already bowling really well, so NCN & Starc really have to produce and both have extra gears they can find when required. You're 100% right about Maxwell as a bowler. Finch would love to get 5 overs for 30 from him very game then cobble together another 5 overs from Stoinis, himself and maybe Smith. I still maintain JR is replaceable IF the other members of the bowling unit really put in. Lose Zampa or Cummins however and we're gone, ditto with Warner or Maxwell.
Tonka Goldman
Roar Rookie
JamesH - I disagree. If you check through the scorecards, part-time spinners are far more productive in the middle overs if the quicks have taken wickets up front and/or kept the run rate down. Damage must be done early, which is why Gilly and McGrath were so good. New Zealand have never won and will never win a World Cup because they only have 4 million people. We have 25 million. India has 1300 million. In Singapore, Shanghai, Hong Kong, USA, the local teams are full of Indians. They are going to completely dominate cricket and there is nothing we can do about it.
Tonka Goldman
Roar Rookie
Sure, Paul. Thanks for your reply… and you make some very good points. From my point of view, I thought Jhye was going to be a revelation in England. I was prepared to lay money on him being in the top 5 wicket-takers of the tournament. Kane will not be. Neither will NCN. Neither will Zampa. Starc is also a possibility of reaching that level and it remains to be seen. Which is the point I made. I take it we agree that Maxwell is not a front-line bowler, correct? My thinking is with the loss of JR (and the inclusion of KR) defensive part-time offspin will not be as effective, and if by the end of the tournament spinners are closing out the death overs we are cactus anyway. I was prepared to back Australia to win it if Jhye came up. Now, I’m not at all confident.
Tonka Goldman
Roar Rookie
Quite possibly.
Tonka Goldman
Roar Rookie
But he was injured. Which is the main reason why they didn't pick him.
Josh H
Roar Rookie
I reckon the reason they picked Munro is because he can play as a pinch-hitter, irrespective of record. Young is more of an accumulator, of which New Zealand already have plenty. Since Anderson is out, they really don’t have anyone who can bat at over 120. Munro – when in form – can. Not really how teams should be selected, but I’m playing devil’s advocate here, and that’s the best I can come up with
Josh H
Roar Rookie
Cricket is cruel.
Neel
Roar Guru
Match practice Kopsa???
Neel
Roar Guru
He is a talented player. Our selectors missed a trick in not selecting Young for the Sri Lanka or Bangladesh ODI series over Munro. Munro averaging 24.9 I think after 51 games doesn’t warrant selection for the World Cup squad. Sadly, I think Will Young is out for a while. He’s going to have surgery on his shoulder.
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
It doesn't make sense to me to use bowlers that isn't even in wc squad in wc warm up games. The batting was below per though middle order today stood up. Smith seems going in right direction. On a bright note, if stac's bowling today is indication of him form, not only just those wickets, but throughout his overs, batsman around the world might need to start worrying.
AREH
Roar Guru
I think they were the two quick bowlers on standby. Kane just got the nod I suspect.
Targa
Guest
A lot of commentators who struggle to pronounce "Jhye" have just breathed a loud sigh of relief.
Targa
Guest
130 for Young. He scored lots of runs for Central Districts and NZ A last season and really should've made his ODI debut. He was picked to make his test debut in the 3rd test v Bangladesh (Williamson was injured) but the match was cancelled after the horrific mosque terrorist attack. Unfortunately for Young he's stuck behind our best ever 3-4-5 (Williamson, Taylor, Nicholls).
Kopa Shamsu
Guest
Good wake up call for Aussies. They were lucky to escape in first match. 277 was below per score against NZ A that in turn played with their B team. Aussie selection didn't make sense at all. Starc bowling 5 overs only , then sean abott, neser fell from sky who isn't even in the squad. Too much experimentation with bad timing.
Targa
Guest
Excellent win. Good to see Latham in the runs too.
Targa
Guest
Will Young is past 100 as the NZ XI is doing well vs Australia. He probably should've been picked in the CWC squad instead of Colin Munro, but now he'll be off cricket for months as he needs a shoulder operation.
JamesH
Roar Guru
Yeah, NCN will slot in without too much trouble. We'll miss Richo's swing but there's no reason why Maxwell should be any less effective with Richardson out.