WA quick injured yet again

JHYE Richardson’s chances of making an unlikely return to the Test side this summer have suffered a cruel blow after he was struck down by back spasms on Monday.

The luckless West Australian quick was only five balls into his first Sheffield Shield over since November 2019 when he dismissed damaging Tasmanian opener Tim Ward for a duck late on day one.

Richardson’s happy return was short-lived.

During the warm-up in Perth on day two, the injuryprone 25-year-old suffered an acute spasm in his thoracic spine, was forced out and watched from the stands.

In his absence, Hilton Cartwright stood up to return career-best figures (4-23) in Tasmania’s innings of 252.

WA struggled to dismiss plucky nightwatchman Lawrence Neil-Smith, who followed his five-wicket haul from the first day with a halfcentury on the second.

Beau Webster (53) and Jordan Silk (47) also proved to be handfuls for the WA attack.

Like Ben McDermott (49) before him, Silk was dismissed agonisingly short of his halfcentury.

Webster brought his up, though, as Tasmania eased past the WA first-innings total of 238 to finish at 252.

At stumps, WA was 1-42, having lost Cameron Bancroft for 12 runs.