[ad_1]
Star spinner Mitch Swepson has been sidelined indefinitely with a neck injury he carried throughout Brisbane Heat’s BBL campaign.
Swepson, who was part of Australia’s extended Test squad for the recent series against India, was on Friday an unexpected absentee from Queensland’s 13-man squad for the Sheffield Shield clash against Tasmania starting on Wednesday at Blundstone Arena.
The extent of Swepson’s neck problem remains unknown, with the Bulls taking no risks with their 27-year-old leg-spinner.
It’s understood the injury was nagging him during the BBL, where he played a key role in the Heat’s late-tournament surge the took them to within one win of the final.
Swepson isn’t the only key player missing from Queensland’s side, with fellow Test squad member Michael Neser also out after injuring his hamstring at training on Tuesday.
The pair’s absence is a blow to a Bulls side that leads the Shield competition by two points from NSW.
Usman Khawaja remains Queensland captain despite some calls for Test star Marnus Labuschagne to be made skipper to give him leadership experience.
All-rounder Nathan McSweeney has been included in the Bulls squad for the first time
after dominating with the bat for Norths in the Queensland Masters Premier Cricket competition.
McSweeney has scored 1139 runs at an average of 75.93 in all formats this season, including four centuries and four half centuries.
The Bulls have five more Shield matches remaining – three of those in Brisbane – to complete a regular season that has been shortened eight games for each state.
A 12-man Bulls squad has also been named for Queensland’s Marsh One Day Cup clash against Tasmania on February 22 at Blundstone Arena.
Bulls Shield squad: Usman Khawaja (c). Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan McSweeney, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee, Bryce Street, Jack Wildermuth.
Bulls Marsh One Day Cup squad: Usman Khawaja (c). Xavier Bartlett, Joe Burns, Brendan Doggett, Sam Heazlett, Matthew Kuhnemann, Marnus Labuschagne, Jimmy Peirson, Matthew Renshaw, Billy Stanlake, Mark Steketee, Jack Wildermuth.
[ad_2]
Source link
