The fast bowler was making a careful return to play early in the season after a winter overcoming a back injury
Lance Morris took 3 for 42 in his first outing of the season • Getty Images
Quick bowler Lance Morris has suffered an injury setback having picked up a quad strain in training although it is hoped the layoff will be brief with the aim to return before the end of the month.
Morris, who faced South Australia in Sydney in late September as part of a carefully managed return to action after another winter recovering from back problems, will miss Western Australia’s one-day game against Queensland on Sunday but is targeting the October 25 clash with Tasmania at the WACA as a return.
A fully fit Morris, who made his international debut against West Indies last season, would be in contention for the Australia A four-day or Australia ODI squads which are due to be named early next week. He was a regular around the Test squad last season.
Speaking last month, Morris had hoped to play Sheffield Shield cricket in the early part of the season but now won’t be in contention to face Tasmania from October 20. After that, WA’s next Shield match starts against Tasmania on November 1 which overlaps with the first Australia A game against India A and the start of the ODI series against Pakistan.
“Frustrating to have to stop for a couple of months. I’m at that stage in my career with a Cricket Australia contract…. it’s a transition into a 12-month cricketer,” he told ESPNcricinfo. “But the silver lining is I’ve stayed fit and I feel stronger than ever. Whereas if I ignored it and cracked on with things, there’s every likelihood that I would spend 12 months on the sidelines.”
Meanwhile, Mahli Beardman is in line for his first game of the season following the shock call-up to Australia’s squad in England last month. Beardman, who has only played one professional game for WA, was never officially added to the touring party having been brought in as cover amid a list of injuries to the fast bowlers.
Western Australia squad Ashton Turner (capt), Ashton Agar, Cameron Bancroft, Mahli Beardman, Cooper Connolly, Hilton Cartwright, Josh Inglis, Bryce Jackson, Jhye Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Andrew Tye, Sam Whiteman
Queensland squad Marnus Labuschagne (capt), Hugo Burdon, Jack Clayton, Lachlan Hearne, Usman Khawaja, Ben McDermott, Michael Neser, Matt Renshaw, Mark Steketee, Tom Straker, Mitch Swepson, Tom Whitney, Jack Wildermuth
Andrew McGlashan is a deputy editor at ESPNcricinfo
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