Monkey attacks Aussie under-19 star

Australian batting young gun Jake Fraser-McGurk is heading home from South Africa after being attacked by a monkey.

Fraser-McGurk, 17, one of his country’s brightest young batting talents, was scratched on the face by a monkey while visiting a nature reserve near Kimberley on a team outing last Thursday following a match during the Under-19 World Cup, currently ongoing in the Rainbow Nation.

While he was well enough to play in Australia’s quarterfinal loss to India on Tuesday, Cricket Australia (CA) has decided to send him back to Australia as a precaution, meaning he will miss Australia’s consolation game against Afghanistan or Pakistan on Sunday.

CA explained that Fraser-McGurk was advised to have treatment in Australia within seven days of the incident.

‘‘We want to make sure that Jake doesn’t have any ongoing medical concerns as a result of the incident so we have taken the best course of action,’’ CA’s sports medicine chief Alex Kountouris said.

‘‘This involves the player returning to Australia for the treatment required within the recommended seven days of the incident taking place.

‘‘We expect Jake will be available for selection shortly after he has completed the treatment.’’

CA said Fraser-McGurk would have returned home regardless of the result of Tuesday’s match, and that the course of action of was decided after consultation with FraserMcGurk’s family in Australia.

Fraser-McGurk said he took responsibility for getting too close to the monkey.

‘‘You never like to be leaving the boys with the tournament still in progress,’’ Fraser-McGurk said.

‘‘I guess it serves me right for getting too close to the animal enclosure.

‘‘That’s a lesson learned.’’

The teenager debuted for Victoria earlier this season, making halfcenturies in both the Sheffield Shield four-day and domestic one-day competitions.