Champions bowled out for their lowest T20 total of 74 as Ben Green, Matt Henry, Lewis Gregory chime in

ECB Reporters Network24-May-2023Revenge was sweet for Somerset as seamers Craig Overton and Matt Henry led them to a crushing eight-wicket Vitality Blast victory over reigning champions Hampshire Hawks at sun-drenched Taunton.Beaten in last season’s semi-finals by the same opponents, the hosts dominated from the start after winning the toss, Overton claiming 3 for 8 from four overs and Henry 2 for 19 from three to leave the Hawks 27 for 5.The Blast title holders never recovered and were bowled out for 74, their lowest ever T20 total, in 16.1 overs, Ben Green taking 3 for 11 and Lewis Gregory 2 for 13, while Overton added four catches to his heroics with the ball.It was a ruthless display by the Somerset seamers, backed by some razor-sharp fielding. In reply, the hosts breezed to 74 for 2 off just 9.3 overs, Tom Banton smiting 40 off 24 balls.Overton and Henry appeared to be trying to outshine each other when the Hawks innings began in front of a packed crowd, both maintaining excellent line and length.Sam McDermott fell to the last ball of Overton’s opening over, caught two-handed to his left by Tom Kohler-Cadmore at slip.It was 9 for 2 when Henry struck with his first delivery, bowling James Vince between bat and pad with a ball that nipped back. The New Zealand Test bowler then had Joe Weatherly caught at mid-on by Overton off a skyer to make it 12 for 3 in the fourth over.By the end of the six-over powerplay, the Hawks were in disarray at 26 for 3. Their plight worsened when Overton had Tom Priest caught behind attempting to pull a short ball.Overton notched his third victim in the same over as Toby Albert was also snaffled by wicketkeeper Banton, going hard at a wide delivery.
Albert had scooped a six off Henry, but it was a rare moment of defiance from the Hawks as Overton produced 17 dot balls in bowling his allotted four overs straight through from the River End.Rightly impressed by his opening attack, Somerset skipper Tom Abell did not make a change until the eighth over, which saw Peter Siddle replace Henry.Ross Whiteley hit fours off successive balls from Gregory and Liam Dawson pulled a a six off Green as Hampshire briefly threatened a recovery.But, having helped take the score to 57, Dawson fell to another Overton catch, this time at fine leg off a scoop, and Scott Currie went in the same Gregory over, the 12th of the innings, bowled off a bottom edged pull shot.Whiteley had reached his side’s top score of 18 when caught by Kohler-Cadmore, diving forward at long-off, having made decent contact with a Green full toss.At 61 for 8, the Hawks were down and out. Chris Wood was pouched by the diving Overton at mid-off off Green, who completed the rout by having Nathan Ellis, who had taken 13 off Henry’s final over, caught at long-on by the same fielder.Somerset’s big-hitting batting line-up were never likely to be troubled chasing such a paltry total and Banton soon signalled his intentions to end the match early by clearing the ropes with a ramp shot off Wood in the third over.A scoop off Ellis brought the England T20 international another boundary, followed next ball by a clip through the leg side for four. Will Smeed was caught at short third man for 5 in the same over, but by the end of their power play, Somerset were comfortable at 37 for 1.Banton launched another six over mid-wicket off Dawson before being stumped in the same over chasing a wide one. Kohler-Cadmore (18 not out) got off the mark by smashing the spinner over wide long-on for a maximum and by then the outcome had long been beyond doubt.

Theekshana starred with a three-for after Dhananjaya’s 93 dragged them past 200

Madushka Balasuriya30-Jun-2023Sri Lanka survived an almighty scare as they scraped past Netherlands by 21 runs to kickstart their Super Six campaign on a nervy but winning note. It was a victory built on the back of a career-best 93 from Dhananjaya de Silva and a backs-against-the-wall bowling effort led by the excellent Maheesh Theekshana, who picked 3 for 31.But every inch of this win was contested by a persistent Netherlands outfit, who first restricted Sri Lanka to a subpar 213 and then nearly pulled off a nail-biting chase. Better sides than them have fallen foul of the twin threats of Theekshana and Wanindu Hasaranga, who picked up five wickets between them on the day. Two run-outs, when the required rate throughout was essentially less than four an over, only adds credence to this notion. Netherlands captain Scott Edwards was left stranded on an unbeaten 68-ball 67, as he ran out of partners on a sticky surface that was taking turn and displaying some uneven bounce.The result means Sri Lanka join Zimbabwe on six points at the top of the table, with the winner of their clash on Sunday guaranteed qualification to the World Cup. As for the Netherlands, they can still get up to a maximum of six points but will now need one of Sri Lanka or Zimbabwe to lose both their remaining games.Theekshana also made an impact with the bat, sticking it out in the middle with Dhananjaya during a vital 77-run eighth wicket stand. With the game won by 21, the importance of Theekshana’s gritty 28 cannot be overstated, especially seeing that it came after Sri Lanka had been reduced to 131 for 7.Netherlands did all the running for much of the game. Starting with the very first delivery of the game, when Pathum Nissanka slashed wildly at one outside off stump to be caught at cover.That would be one of three wickets for the excellent Logan van Beek, who would also send Sadeera Samarawickrama and Charith Asalanka packing – all before the end of the first powerplay.Nissanka’s wouldn’t be the only questionable stroke by a Sri Lankan batter, as several were dismissed trying to hit out. This though was down to Netherlands persisting with nagging lines and lengths, allied with Sri Lanka’s inability to find singles and rotate strike consistently. The build up of pressure had batters falling while attempting to break the shackles. And, if not, the odd one that kept low would do the trick.Logan van Beek proved too hot for the Sri Lanka top-order batters to handle•ICC via Getty Images

This was essentially the tale of Sri Lanka’s innings, as Netherlands bowled wicket to wicket and refused to allow for easy runs. It was only Dhananjaya who showed the patience to thrive on this surface.He stitched together successive stands of 33, 29, 35 and 77 with Dimuth Karunaratne, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga and Theekshana respectively, to drag Sri Lanka to a defendable total.In defence of their target, Sri Lanka knocked over both openers for ducks inside the first two overs. But then the game began to slip away. Wesley Barresi and Bas de Leede – who had grabbed three wickets earlier – put on 77 for the third wicket, in a partnership that was highlighted by its industrious nature. The pair found boundaries frequently, but more than that they scrambled for every run.By the start of the 15th over they were going at a rate beyond six an over. But it would be their exuberance to grab every advantage that would be their downfall, as an ill-advised second would see Barresi run out. Barresi’s wicket would be followed by Teja Nidamanuru five balls later. De Leede and Edwards then put on a 41-ball 36.Theekshana returned to go through a gap between de Leede’s bat and pad to clean him up. He then executed a double-wicket maiden to send Netherlands tumbling to 133 for 7.From that point on it was a lone hand from Edwards, who employed the sweep to great effect and found ones and twos with ease. This would bring the target closer, but Sri Lanka were into the tail and so they chipped away. After an incredible throw to the non-striker’s end by keeper Kusal Mendis saw Shariz Ahmad run out, Hasaranga castled Klein with a googly.Edwards then looked to farm the strike alongside Dutt, but an inswinging yorker from Shanaka dispatched the latter. That Shanaka was even bowling at that stage was only down to the fact that Lahiru Kumara had been able to complete just two overs before being withdrawn with a side strain.

Tail-end pair delay follow-on then return as nightwatchers to give Worcestershire a boost

ECB Reporters Network12-Jul-2023Worcestershire 242 (Coad 5-33) and 22 for 0 trail Yorkshire 407 (Bean 135, Lyth 79, Hill 53, Finch 5-100) by 143 runsBen Coad returned his season’s best figures with the ball but Yorkshire’s victory push was held up by stubborn resistance from the Worcestershire last-wicket pair of Adam Finch and Ben Gibbon on day three of the LV=Insurance County Championship match at New Road.Coad finished with 5 for 33 from 21 overs – the 11th five wicket haul of his career – and he was well supported by Mark Steketee and Matthew Fisher as Worcestershire were forced to follow on 165 behind.But Finch and Gibbon ate up invaluable time to bolster Worcestershire’s hopes of securing a draw as they batted for 35.3 overs during a last wicket stand of 63 – the highest partnership of the innings.It kept Yorkshire out in the field for two hours and put extra miles into the legs of some of their bowlers when they were itching to have a crack at the Worcestershire top order for a second time.Gibbon’s 41 not out was a career best and Finch followed up his five-wicket haul yesterday by making a defiant 24 before he was last out.Yorkshire are probably sick of the sight of Finch as his three sixes in the final over of the Vitality Blast game at New Road in May off Fisher earned his side an unlikely victory.Coad picked up his second five-wicket haul of the campaign after his 5 for 54 against Sussex at Hove in April and was a constant threat.With just nine overs remaining, Finch and Gibbon went straight back out into the middle in nightwatcher mode to open rather than the established batters.They again proved difficult to dislodge as Worcestershire reached 22 for nought, 143 in arrears heading into the final day.Worcestershire resumed the day on 46 for 2 and Jack Haynes looked in good nick as he collected a trio of boundaries off Coad.He square drove, cover drove and flicked him off his legs to the ropes. But Coad had his revenge with the final ball of the sixth over of the day as Haynes (29) was adjudged lbw.Azhar Ali battled away against some probing bowling but fell victim to Coad after he switched ends. He was squared up by a delivery and provided George Hill with a comfortable catch at first slip.Coad bowled five successive maidens before being rested after morning figures of 8-5-14-2.Steketee came into the attack and he accounted for Ed Pollock who nicked a ball angled away to second slip.Adam Hose needed 26 balls to get off the mark but he then started to score freely with a succession of boundaries against Matthew Fisher and George Hill.But there was further reward for Skeketee as former Yorkshire all-rounder Matthew Waite appeared to edge a delivery onto his pad before the ball ballooned to third slip.Hose was unbeaten on 37 when rain brought about an early lunch but he only added a single after play resumed before being beaten all ends up by Fisher and losing his off stumpJoe Leach and Josh Baker added 31 for the eighth wicket before the latter was caught at cover driving at Coad.Leach made an accomplished 33 off 44 balls but then was undone by a ball which lifted on him and Coad held a head high catch at third slip.Worcestershire were then 179 for nine with 47 overs still remaining in the day. But then Finch and Gibbon joined forces to blunt Yorkshire’s efforts to quickly wrap up the innings.

Bangladesh captain defended playing Mohammad Naim in all four matches, even as he was pleased with youngster Towhid Hridoy

Mohammad Isam09-Sep-2023Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan said that injuries and tactics forced them to tinker with their playing XIs in the Asia Cup, and that they were not experimenting just for the sake of it. They were expected to try out a few combinations ahead of the World Cup next month, but it all went awry as Bangladesh now stare at an exit from the Super Four stage of the tournament after two defeats in as many games – this time a 21-run loss against Sri Lanka in Colombo.Shakib said they sent Mehidy Hasan Miraz to open against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka mainly because of his ability to handle mystery spinners, a move which was justified after Mehidy struck his second ODI hundred against Afghanistan. However, Shakib felt that Mehidy could give the team some balance batting rather at No. 7, given that Bangladesh are struggling with a long tail.”We thought that Miraz was a better option [as an opener] against Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. He has always handled mystery spinners like Mujeeb [Ur Rahman] and [Maheesh] Theekshana well. That was the reason [why he opened]. It was a well-thought out decision. The openers added 50 runs [against Sri Lanka], but we needed an 80 or 90 opening stand. Then it would have been a different sort of game.Related

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“At this moment, I feel that he has a role to play in the top order. He is a solid batsman with a good technique. Against particular teams, he can do really well. It was not a fluke that he scored the hundred; it can’t be. A tailender can’t score a hundred against one of the best spin attacks in the world. I think he has a role to play [with the bat], but if he bats at No. 7, it gives us more depth. The younger guys can get exposed in a tournament like this.”Bangladesh’s long tail is becoming a headache this year, especially after they started to prefer bowling cover to a long batting line-up. Traditionally, Bangladesh have opted for the latter, but under both Tamim Iqbal and Shakib, they have opted for, in the words of Shakib, the “aggressive” option. However, Shakib said that having a long tail hasn’t curbed his middle order’s inclination towards playing their shots.”The dressing room doesn’t feel reluctant to play our shots due to the long tail. We still want to be positive,” he said. “We still want to play the right shots at the right time. We want to believe in our top seven, who should win you 90% of the matches with the bat. If we put another batter, it will be [based on] horses for courses. Someone like Nasum Ahmed gave 31 runs in ten overs [against Sri Lanka]. If we didn’t play him, we would have probably given away 30 more runs, which the No. 8 batter would then have to score.”There’s a lot of ifs and buts after the game. But before the game, how you discuss and want to play is more important. I think we took the aggressive decision to play with six bowlers so that we could bowl them out for 220-230. But they got away at the start. They survived. They were lucky. There were a couple of missed chances. Otherwise, things could have been different.”But despite having a long tail and some absences in the batting line-up, Shakib defended playing opener Mohammad Naim in all four matches despite him not converting starts of 16, 28, 20 and 21.”We haven’t done a lot of experiments,” Shakib said. “Naim is playing his fourth match [in the tournament]. We had a few injuries after the first game, but Litton [Das] came [back] into the picture. Naim got starts in four games. It is not that he is getting out quickly. I think it is more about mentality than skill. If a batter can make 20, he has the ability to score an eighty or a hundred.”We wanted to be consistent [with Naim’s selection]. We didn’t want to put someone in and throw him out after two games. He had a decent run. He played four games in a row. He got starts in all the games. The disappointing side is that he didn’t deliver when he should have played a big knock. He didn’t get out first or second ball too. I am not saying he made a lot of contributions – he played the new ball really well – but when we needed, he couldn’t kick on.”However, Shakib admitted that they have to put their deteriorating batting under the scanner, especially ahead of the ODI World Cup where they have historically underperformed.Shakib on Towhid Hridoy: “I am very happy with the way he batted. There is still a long way to go”•Associated Press

“We haven’t been batting well for quite some time. It is a matter of concern,” he said. “We have to fix these problems. I personally feel that we really needed this reality check before the World Cup. We usually do well in bilateral series. You can see our results from 2015 to 2019 to 2023. Our big tests are in these big tournaments where we have never done anything extraordinary.”We have three matches in the 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 World Cups. You won’t find a lot of difference in these performances. We have usually failed after we get the reality check. We are a promising team that’s doing well on and off. We lost the last two home series against England and Afghanistan. Our batting [has] deteriorated in the last six months. It is going downwards, so we have to rectify quickly.”But the one thing that still brought “relief” to the Bangladesh captain was the young batter Towhid Hridoy’s form since making his international debut earlier this year. Hridoy struck 82 in the run chase against Sri Lanka, having added 72 for the fifth wicket with Mushfiqur Rahim after Bangladesh were 83 for 4 in pursuit of 258.”It is a relief. He batted really well,” Shakib said. “Playing in the LPL must have given him a lot of confidence. He has faced all these bowlers. I am very happy with the way he batted. There is still a long way to go. A big tournament is coming. I hope he continues his form.”

Jadeja’s 3 for 28 restricted Australia to 199, but India’s pursuit of a modest target began with a historically bad start

Vithushan Ehantharajah08-Oct-20231:19

Tom Moody: Australia did not have a plan for that sort of pitch

The hosts and favourites for the 2023 World Cup are up and running. But as clinical as India’s six-wicket victory over Australia looks on paper, there was far more jeopardy out on the field in Chennai.Ravindra Jadeja’s exemplary 3 for 28 restricted Australia to 199, but the pursuit of a modest target began with a historically bad start. India were reduced to 2 for 3 – the first time in ODIs three of their top four were dismissed without scoring; Mitchell Starc removed Ishan Kishan for a first-ball duck before Josh Hazlewood’s double-wicket maiden snared captain Rohit Sharma lbw and Shreyas Iyer, caught tamely at short cover.But from the ruins rose Virat Kohli and KL Rahul – two of India’s “been there, done that” world-beaters. A stand of 165 turned a problematic start into a cakewalk of a finish. So much so that while Kohli fell for 85 – he was dropped on 12 – Rahul was able to manoeuvre himself into a position for an outside shot at ODI century number seven.With 91 to his name and five left to get, a four and a six would have taken him to three figures. Alas, too sweet a connection on a lofted drive off Pat Cummins cleared the boundary sponge at extra cover, finishing the match and leaving the keeper-batter dismayed on 97 not out.It was particularly chastening for Australia for the match to end in such one-sided circumstances. Cummins’ decision to be the first captain to win the toss and choose to bat at this World Cup looked optimistic, especially as the second innings wore on and the ball stopped talking.Halzewood’s 3 for 38 ended up being the only plus point in the second half. But one imagines most of the post-match debrief will centre around the inability to combat the turn and nous of Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav and R Ashwin.Ravindra Jadeja dismissed Steven Smith with a ripper•Associated Press

India’s spin amigos shared six wickets between themselves, instigating an inescapable chokehold epitomised by the 16.5 overs worth of dot balls within their collective 30. The control assumed throughout the guts of Australia’s innings was primarily through Jadeja, who was introduced in the 20th. Australia had made a steady start before an eight-over-straight spell of 3 for 28 from the Chennai Super Kings stalwart on familiar conditions demolished those foundations.Despite losing opener Mitchell Marsh for a six-ball duck – edge found by Jasprit Bumrah, well-taken by Kohli tumbling to his left at first slip – David Warner was typically breezy, moving past 1000 ODI World Cup runs in just his 19th innings, setting a new benchmark for the feat having done so in one knock fewer than Sachin Tendulkar and AB de Villiers.A return catch for Kuldeep’s first of two dismissals ended his stay on 41, and a stand of 69 with Steven Smith, who himself made it to 46 before losing his off stump, beaten on the outside edge and losing his off stump. It was the first of three wickets to fall in the space of 10 Jadeja deliveries.Marnus Labuschagne was adjudged caught behind off a sweep, before the Alex Carey lasted just two deliveries before behind adjudged lbw in front of middle. Both batters took Australia’s two DRS reviews back to the dressing room.At 119 for 5, the onus fell on the last two remaining “full-time” batters Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Green to conjure a partnership of note. Maxwell was able to strike Jadeja through extra cover for the first boundary in 73 deliveries, but an awry shot across the line to Kuldeep followed by Green’s lazy cut to backward point off Ashwin took the score from 140 for 5 to 140 for 7 in the space of four balls.Starc and Cummins were valiant in pursuit of late runs; the latter striking the first six of the innings midway through the 40th over (Kuldeep heaved over deep square leg) before the former bashed the second over the same region off Bumrah.Starc would be the last to fall, holing out into the leg side to bring the innings to a close with three balls to go. But within four balls of the restart, the left-arm quick had Kishan departing first ball, slashing to Green a first slip.Virat Kohli and KL Rahul piled up pressure on Pat Cummins and Co•AFP/Getty Images

Hazlewood followed with his double-hit in his opening over and, just like that, India’s task looked far from academic. But the fact there was only 197 to clear in 48 overs when Kohli and Rahul came together meant no undue risks needed to be taken.And yet, India should have been 19 for 4 when a top edge from Kohli on 12 – hurried by a skiddy bouncer from Hazlewood – fell through the hands of Marsh running in from square leg after some miscommunication with Carey behind the stumps. Kohli then survived an edge past his own stumps off Cummins on 13.Kohli was soon back into his work, supreme through midwicket for back-to-back fours off Green – the first just his second boundary in 50 deliveries. The pair exchanged strike regularly, until Rahul struck three fours – two fine of third, then a drive through cover – to take 13 off Adam Zampa’s opening over to jump-start his innings.That the legspinner was held back until the 17th over spoke of the loss of that early movement with the two new balls under lights, dissipating Australia’s incisiveness. By then, Starc had changed his angle to over the wicket to both right-handers, hoping to elicit either movement or a mistake off the straight.Kohli would win the race to the half-century, whipping a Cummins bumper off his nose to reach fifty for the 114th time in ODIs, off 75 balls. Soon after the century stand was reached, Rahul square drove his 72nd delivery for a 16th fifty in the format. ODI hundred number 48 looked odds on for Kohli, only to fall 15 short when pulling Hazlewood straight to Labuschagne at midwicket. His walk-off suggested a desire to take the side home, but with 33 required off 74, the finish line was in full view.And so came the sprint finish. Pandya charged Hazlewood to muller him over wide long off for India’s first six of the tournament. Rahul then followed with the second in the next over, planting Maxwell into the stands down the ground.Perhaps a century for Rahul would have been the neatest of bows on a professional opening win. As far as consolations go, sizeable red ink and victory by 52 deliveries should more than make up for it.

There is no ICC requirement that World Cup knockout matches must be played on unused pitches

Matt Roller15-Nov-20233:44

Rohit: I believe toss is not a factor at Wankhede

The first semi-final of the 2023 ODI World Cup, between India and New Zealand in Mumbai on Wednesday afternoon, will be played on a used pitch that has already staged two matches in the tournament.ESPNcricinfo understands the semi-final was initially supposed to be played on Pitch 7, the central strip of the Wankhede Stadium’s pitch block. Pitch 7 is a fresh surface that was not used in the league stage of the World Cup.But a decision was made to shift the game to Pitch 6, which is slightly off-centre and has already hosted two matches in the tournament: South Africa’s 229-run win over England on October 21, and India’s 302-run victory over Sri Lanka on November 2.The change represents a late deviation from the pitch allocation devised before the World Cup. A source told ESPNcricinfo: “6-8-6-8-7 was the planned rotation at Wankhede. 6-8-6-8 is what has been used so far.”After the semi-final had begun, the ICC released a statement saying the change was not unusual. “Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times. This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host. The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won’t play well.”According to the ICC’s Playing Conditions for the World Cup, the relevant ‘ground authority’ is “responsible for the selection and preparation of the pitch” before any given match – in this case, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). The ICC also have an independent pitch consultant, Andy Atkinson, who works alongside local groundstaff.The Daily Mail reported that Atkinson has become frustrated by changes to pre-agreed plans throughout the World Cup, and that he speculated in a leaked email whether the pitch for the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday “will be the first ever ICC CWC final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board.”Should India make the final in Ahmedabad, they would face either Australia or South Africa. Pat Cummins put his faith in the ICC to oversee the pitch process.”Yeah, I saw that [the report]…obviously ICC have an independent pitch curator who manages that so I’m sure they are all over making sure it’s fair for both teams,” he said. “So far this tournament [on pitches] that we’ve played on I’ve not seen any issue.”There is no ICC requirement which states that knockout fixtures must be played on fresh pitches. The only stipulation in their Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process reads: “It is expected that venues that are allocated the responsibility of hosting a match will present the best possible pitch and outfield conditions for that match.”The semi-finals of the 2019 ODI World Cup, in England four years ago, were both played on fresh pitches at Old Trafford and Edgbaston. But last year, both T20 World Cup semi-finals were played on used pitches: one at Adelaide Oval, the other at the Sydney Cricket Ground.Both India and New Zealand players inspected the pitch at the Wankhede from close quarters on Tuesday evening before it was covered by groundstaff early during India’s training session under floodlights.

The extent of Healy’s injury is not yet known but she could face an extended period on the sidelines

ESPNcricinfo staff22-Oct-2023Alyssa Healy could face an extended period on the sidelines after undergoing surgery on her hand following a domestic accident at home.As of Sunday evening, the nature of the injury and how it happened had not been confirmed by Sydney Sixers or Cricket Australia.Healy posted a photo of herself on Instagram with her left hand heavily bandaged and in a splint. There is no timeframe for her recovery as yet. Australia’s tour of India is less than two months away and Sixers still have 13 WBBL matches, plus finals if they qualify, before then.”It was a very freak accident, I guess,” Ellyse Perry, Sixers’ captain, said after the defeat to Thunder. “I’m not across what it was. It was something at home. We’re just sending lots of thoughts and best wishes to her, because she’s going to have a recovery period. It would have been really awful situation.”I had a few chats with Midge last night. A couple of the girls have been in touch with her. She’s had a big day and she’s recovering. She certainly knows that the whole group’s thoughts are with her. We’ll hopefully get to see her in the next little bit, and give her a big hug.” Speaking on Channel Seven, Lisa Sthalekar said Healy had been in touch. “I have heard from her, she’s given me the thumbs up, although a little bit bandaged,” she said.Perry added that Healy’s injury was a blow to the wider competition as well as Sixers.”It’s a huge blow,” she said. “It’s not just a blow for us, it’s a blow for the tournament, because she’s one of the most exciting and mercurial players in the world.”It’s been wonderful to have her playing in the competition over the last nine years. Whenever a player like that’s missing for a period of time, it’s going to be a blow.”For our group, she’s a huge presence. She’s of fun, she’s a big character, and the lifeblood of the team. For however long we miss her for, it’s going to be a bummer. We’re just thinking of her and hope she gets better soon.”A Sixers statement said: “No further details of the accident or injury are clear at this time, with further details to be communicated in due course. She has not been replaced on the Sixers’ roster.”Healy, Australia’s vice-captain who has led the team for their last three international series in the absence of Meg Lanning, has already suffered two broken fingers this year while playing during the Ashes series and missed the Hundred in England as a result.Healy’s absence meant Sixers need a new wicketkeeper with 17-year-old Kate Pelle taking the role after she kept for Australia at the Under-19 T20 World Cup earlier this year.