×
×
Lancashire’s left-arm spinner, Tom Hartley, has been ruled out of England Lions’ tour of Australia after fracturing his right hand during training in Brisbane on Thursday. The 25-year-old, who was a standout performer on England’s tour of India last year, will return to the UK for treatment. No replacement will be joining the tour in […]
Lancashire’s left-arm spinner, Tom Hartley, has been ruled out of England Lions’ tour of Australia after fracturing his right hand during training in Brisbane on Thursday. The 25-year-old, who was a standout performer on England’s tour of India last year, will return to the UK for treatment. No replacement will be joining the tour in his place.
Hartley played a crucial role in all five of England’s Tests in India, taking 22 wickets at an average of 36.13, including a match-winning 7 for 62 on his debut in Hyderabad.
Browse more current blogs at IPLbookmakers.
Tom Hartley’s injury is a setback to his ambitions of earning a Test recall, particularly with England set to return to Australia for the 2025-26 Ashes. After being a part of the T20 World Cup squad in June, Hartley has not featured in recent matches, with offspinner Shoaib Bashir becoming England’s preferred choice. Hartley was initially included in the England Lions squad for their tour of Australia, which includes three red-ball matches and an unofficial Test against Australia A in Sydney. However, his fractured hand will prevent him from participating in these fixtures.
The 25-year-old will return to the UK for further assessment by Lancashire’s medical team, and no replacement will be called up to the Lions squad. The tour, led by head coach Andrew Flintoff, begins on January 14 with a four-day fixture against a Cricket Australia Select XI in Brisbane.
Hobart Hurricanes have solidified their status as genuine BBL title contenders with a fifth consecutive victory, driven by a dominant unbeaten 68 from Tim David. The Hurricanes comfortably chased down Sydney Thunder’s target of 164 for 6 at Ninja Stadium on Friday night, finishing with 19 balls to spare. David, elevated to No. 5 after Ben McDermott suffered hamstring soreness, was the standout performer, scoring 68 off 38 balls, including a game-clinching six off Wes Agar. His performance follows a similar match-winning knock of 62* from 28 balls in their previous match against Adelaide Strikers.
David’s brilliance came during the two-over power surge, where he smashed 26 runs off six balls to take control of the chase. His back-to-back match-winning performances have been key to the Hurricanes’ impressive run, which has seen them win five straight games, placing them at the top of the BBL table with three matches remaining before the finals. After missing the finals in the past two seasons, the Hurricanes are now one of the teams to beat and are among the two teams yet to lift the BBL title.
The Hurricanes also overcame an injury scare in the field when captain Nathan Ellis collided head-first into an advertising board while diving to stop a boundary in the 15th over. Despite the scare, Ellis was assessed by medical staff and remarkably returned to the field shortly after, continuing to bowl. The team’s resilience in the face of adversity further highlights their growing title credentials.
Sydney Thunder, on the other hand, dropped from first to third on the ladder following the loss, with four wins from eight games. David Warner top-scored for Thunder, making an unbeaten 88 off 66 balls, although his innings took time to gather pace. Thunder’s batting struggled early, failing to hit a boundary until the fifth over and reaching just 85 for 3 after 13. While Sam Billings added 28 from 15 balls and Warner found his rhythm later, Thunder’s efforts were not enough. Young Sam Konstas, after a promising start in Tests, was dismissed cheaply for 4. Despite a few hiccups in the chase, Hurricanes managed to steady the ship, with Chris Jordan helping David seal the win.
Read More: James Anderson in Talks to Return to Lancashire for 2025 Season