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Bethell Ruled Out of Australia Tour After Knee BlowSports
England will start their white-ball tour of Australia without Jacob Bethell, whose comeback from knee surgery has been halted by a fresh setback in training.
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England’s white-ball tour of Australia has been hit by a major setback before the first ball is bowled, with Jacob Bethell ruled out of the whole trip after a fresh problem with his right knee.
The England and Wales Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday that a scan had ended the 23-year-old batter’s hopes of making his comeback on tour. Bethell had travelled to Australia after surgery in September, having not played since England’s one-day series win over India in July, when he felt discomfort in his knee while scoring 91 at Lord’s.
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The latest trouble surfaced during a training session in Perth earlier this week. With a busy winter ahead, the board decided against risking him, and Bethell will fly back to Britain on Saturday to be seen by a specialist.
England have moved quickly to fill the gap. Sussex all-rounder James Coles and Hampshire fast bowler Eddie Jack have been called into the one-day squad, covering for Bethell and for Josh Tongue, who was already out with an injury to his left big toe. The pair are due to arrive in Perth on Thursday.
Jack, 21, earns his first senior call-up, while Coles comes in as the direct cover for Bethell. Their early arrival gives England fresh options before the series opener, with the squad having to adjust its plans at short notice.
The timing is awkward for the tourists. The three-match one-day series starts in Perth on Friday, followed by five Twenty20 internationals, and the team then travel to South Africa for a Test series starting on December 17. Bethell had been named in both white-ball squads, and his absence leaves England short of batting cover days before the first match.
England’s medical team will hope the specialist visit brings clearer news. The batter’s knee has now interrupted his season twice, and the board has chosen caution over rushing him back into international cricket with a long winter still to come.
For Bethell, the wait goes on. Four months have passed since his last appearance, and his return will now depend on what the specialist finds when he is back home.
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