Hamstring Injury Sidelines Neser, but Richardson Nears Sheffield Shield Return
Australia’s chances of having Michael Neser available as a backup option for the Adelaide or Brisbane Tests have diminished due to the severity of his hamstring injury. However, there is a glimmer of hope that Jhye Richardson could be considered as a reinforcement later in the series if his carefully planned return to first-class cricket remains on track.
Neser, 34, sustained the injury on the opening day of the Australia A match against India A at the MCG and is likely to be sidelined until the start of the Brisbane Heat’s BBL season on December 18. Even without the injury, Neser was unlikely to be selected as Australia’s first-choice backup seamer for the Perth Test, with Scott Boland in line behind Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Starc.
“Pending selection, hopefully next game,” Richardson said. “I’m still waiting to see what sort of restriction and stuff is put on that. It’s a pink ball in Adelaide, and, you know, I like playing pink-ball games, so I’ve been pushing hard to get into that one, but we’ll see how we go. Obviously, the plan’s not 100% finalized.”
Richardson’s last Test appearance was a pink-ball match in Adelaide in 2021, where he claimed his maiden five-wicket haul against England. However, he has endured a challenging period since then, including further shoulder and hamstring surgeries, as well as a mental health battle that has affected his physical conditioning. He is now a different body shape compared to the start of his first-class and international career, making him more susceptible to soft tissue injuries.
As a Cricket Australia contracted player, a decision was made during the offseason that Richardson’s build-up towards a first-class return would be gradual. While it was initially thought he might not play any red-ball cricket before the BBL, he has since strung together four List A games and two four-day second XI matches for Western Australia, showcasing his progress.
“It’s been a little bit frustrating,” Richardson acknowledged. “But I was told that at the start of this whole process. I was told it was going to be slow and very purposeful. So we’re hopefully getting to the back end of it now, getting into some red ball [cricket]. Hopefully it’s all worth it.”
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