Tayla Vlaeminck ruled out of Ashes, World Cup due to stress fracture

Ashes series and the upcoming Cricket World Cup due to a stress fracture of the navicular in her right foot, Cricket Australia said in a release on Sunday (January 23). The scans have confirmed that this is the same injury that forced her to miss the entire T20 World Cup at home in 2020.

Elaborating on the injury, Australian team doctor, Phillipa Inge said, “Tayla has sustained an acute navicular stress fracture. She had a similar injury in early 2020; this fracture completely healed and Tayla made a successful return to play international cricket in March 2021. Tayla reported a return in midfoot pain and subsequent images have confirmed a recurrent stress fracture of the navicular.”

"The Cricket Australia and Cricket Victoria medical teams will work collaboratively on the immediate management over the coming days and a subsequent return to play plan. She will be unavailable for the Ashes Series and ODI World Cup."

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The right-arm tear-away bowler was also ruled out of the ODI and Test leg of the multi-format series against India but made her return in the T20I series. She was part of the Hobart Hurricanes squad in the seventh edition of the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) that followed the series against India. The 23-year-old has been injury prone and suffered a series of injuries through out her career so far. After missing the T20 World Cup in 2020, she was also ruled out of the New Zealand series as well as the sixth season of the WBBL. No replacement has been named as of now, the release added that whether someone need to be called up in place of her for the ongoing Ashes will be decided in due course.

Australia’s injury concerns are rising ahead of the World Cup which starts on March 4. Georgia Wareham and Sophie Molineux sustained injuries during the WBBL and were ruled out of the Ashes series. Molineux still has some chances to return to the national side for the World Cup. Similarly, Beth Mooney had to go through emergency surgery after fracturing her jaw during a training session. Head coach Matthew Mott said the southpaw will return during the Test matches and ODI leg of the mult-format series.

Australia will start their World Cup campaign against the defending champions England on March 5 at Seddon Park in Hamilton.