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Travis Head\u2019s central role in Australia\u2019s World Cup plans is in severe doubt after he suffered a fractured hand during the tourists\u2019 heavy defeat to South Africa at Centurion.<\/p>\n
Chasing the Proteas\u2019 gargantuan 416, Head was struck on the left glove by Gerald Coetzee, and though he tried to bat on, soon retired hurt in obvious pain.<\/p>\n
Head coach Andrew McDonald confirmed the fracture after South Africa completed a 164-run victory. To lose such a damaging player in the weeks before a global event is among a selector\u2019s worst nightmares.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt this stage, it\u2019s a confirmed fracture and how long that timeframe is, we\u2019re yet to determine that so fingers crossed clearly with the World Cup fast approaching,\u201d McDonald said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not a medical person, but I think it\u2019s a little bit higher up than the actual [index] finger itself. But I don\u2019t know the actual terminology. It\u2019s in a joint somewhere, so I won\u2019t go into the medical specifics. But, yeah, a confirmed fracture and to be assessed again tomorrow with another scan.\u201d<\/p>\n
Following the retirement of Aaron Finch, Head loomed as a pivotal part of the Australian blueprint for success in the World Cup in India, which starts early next month. Since January last year, Head has been one of the most destructive ODI players in the game, hammering 791 runs at 60.84 and a strike rate of 119.84.<\/p>\n
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Australia\u2019s Travis Head leaves the field after receiving medical attention during the fourth ODI cricket match between South Africa and Australia.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>AP<\/cite><\/p>\n Without him, Marnus Labuschagne appears certain to squeeze into the 15-man squad for the World Cup when it is finalised on September 28, while the places of Mitchell Marsh and Steve Smith may also need to be adjusted \u2013 Marsh to open alongside David Warner and Smith to bat three.<\/p>\n The loss of Head\u2019s part-time off spin is also a not insignificant problem for Australia\u2019s team balance. Perhaps the sole bright spot for Australia in the Centurion defeat was a freewheeling innings of 99 from 77 balls.<\/p>\n Incredibly, Carey was the only Australian batter to face more than 25 deliveries, emphasising the scale of the defeat after Heinrich Klaasen launched a rocket of an innings, clobbering 174 from 83 balls after Marsh sent the hosts in to bat.<\/p>\n Maxwell (ankle), Smith (wrist), captain Pat Cummins (wrist), Ashton Agar (paternal leave) and Mitchell Starc (hamstring) will all return from injury to the squad for the white ball tour of India that is wedged in between South Africa and the start of the World Cup.<\/p>\n Cameron Green, meanwhile, is in the latter stages of his recovery from a concussion suffered in game one of the series, and is expected to be available for the final game at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Sunday night.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s been cleared by the medical team,\u201d McDonald said. \u201cSo he\u2019s just working away getting prepared. Hopefully, he\u2019s available for game five. That\u2019s the plan at this stage. We\u2019ll be able to have some training tomorrow, assess that and there will be some forced changes.\u201d<\/p>\n But it will be Head\u2019s likely absence for at least a major chunk of the cup that will weigh most heavily on the Australian team leadership over the next few weeks.<\/p>\n News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport sent every Monday. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
The top order had looked Australia\u2019s strongest suit heading into the tournament, with injury and performance problems further down the list for the likes of Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey.<\/p>\nMost Viewed in Sport<\/h2>\n
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