Australia face being without wicket keeper Josh Inglis for the T20 World Cup after an unbelievable golf injury resulted in him cutting his hand before being taken to hospital.
Two days before Australia host New Zealand at the SCG in Sydney in their opening World Cup match they are waiting on the outcome of the injury suffered to Inglis. The Sydney Morning Herald have reported that the freak incident happened on Wednesday when the Aussie team were given the morning off with some heading to the golf course.
Inglis, aged 27, cut his hand drawing blood when it was reported that his club broke while he was trying to hit the ball down the fairway.
Cricket Australia confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that Inglis had been taken to hospital for treatment. He faces missing out on the home tournament for Australia and leaving his country exposed if first-choice wicket keeper Matthew Wade picks up an injury during the competition. Australia can replace the wicket keeper in their 15-man squad with ICC approval, but he would then be unable to return.
Inglis was actually born in Leeds and lived in the UK until his family moved to Australia when he was aged 14. He made his Australia international debut last year and has played nine T20 internationals and two One Day international games.
He has impressed Australian selectors with an indifferent style of batting with an average score of 27.5 in nine T20 matches and taking four catches.
Cricket players might be warned to stay away from the golf course after Jonny Bairstow was ruled out of the tournament after also suffering a freak injury. Bairstow broke his leg in three places and dislocated his ankle after slipping whilst walking off the side of the green last month.
"I tried to regain my balance, my left ankle turned right, dislocated and my weight went through my left lower leg," he told the Telegraph. "I heard it snap straight away."
The 33-year-old has since gone under the knife and will not play again this year. England begin their T20 World Cup campaign when they face Afghanistan in Perth on Saturday.
