Injury leaves Pope on knees again
OLLIE FACES OP AND FOUR MONTHS OUT
OLLIE POPE will undergo repeat surgery on his dislocated left shoulder and is facing up to four months on the sidelines.
The England batsman sustained the injury against Pakistan during the third Test at the Ageas Bowl on Monday, diving to save a boundary.
Pope had left the field immediately but an MRI scan yesterday revealed he would need surgery in the next couple of weeks.
The 22-year-old, a rising star in the England Test side after a breakthrough year with the bat, will then commence rehabilitation following surgery.
England are hopeful he will be fit to return in time for England winter tours of Sri Lanka and India, scheduled to start in January.
However there is some concern that it is a repeat injury on the same shoulder which he previously dislocated in April 2019 playing for Surrey against Essex at The Oval, an injury which ruled him out of the Ashes.
Meanwhile, George Bailey says Australia are out to avenge the humiliating 5-0 whitewash at the hands of Eoin Morgan’s England the last time they toured.
And he believes the latest generation of white-ball talent Down Under may be crucial.
Former skipper-turned-selector Bailey was not part of the team beaten out of sight in the one-day tour two years ago.
Yet if the bruises for some are still a bit raw, Bailey believes untainted talent such as Riley Meredith, 24, wicketkeeperbatsman Josh Philippe, 23, and left-arm seamer Daniel Sams, 27, could prove key when the Twenty20 series starts next week.
Throw in Sams, a death bowler who also hits the ball hard and has forged an excellent reputation in Big Bash cricket, and Bailey says all the tools are in the box.
“Riley is a young fast bowler, a good athlete with pretty good speed and we are really excited about him,” he said. “He has had a couple of good years for Tasmania, not just in the Big Bash but across all three formats.
“Josh has undeniable talent with the bat and behind the stumps as back-up to Alex Carey.
“His Big Bash was fantastic particularly for a young player who is starting to play matchwinning innings.
“And Daniel is an exciting bowling all-rounder, a leading wicket-taker in the Bash last year and good striker of the ball.”
England off-spinner Dom Bess is to leave Somerset at the end of the summer. Bess has been linked with a move to Yorkshire after two loan spells for the county in 2019.