Australia‘s left-arm seamer Ben Dwarshuis saw his ODI debut end prematurely due to an injury sustained while fielding in the series opener against England at Trent Bridge, Nottingham, on Thursday, September 19. He had replaced Xavier Bartlett, who was injured in the recent T20I series.
Dwarshuis received his ODI cap as the Australia squad faced illness leading up to the match. With Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc on the bench, the 30-year-old was the only frontline seamer, supported by all-rounders.
He made an impression with the new ball against England’s revamped opening pair, Phil Salt and Ben Duckett. Dwarshuis also took his first ODI wicket, delivering a ball that skidded off the pitch and slipped through Salt’s bat and pad to knock his stumps down.
Unfortunately, Dwarshuis injured himself while throwing the ball from the boundary while off balance. He briefly left the field for a medical assessment but did not return and was seen in the dressing room with a brace on his injury. Cricket Australia confirmed that he will not take part in the remainder of the match.
“Unfortunate news for Ben Dwarshuis and Australia’s already decimated pace stocks with CA confirming he’s sustained a ‘suspected pectoral strain’ while throwing off-balance from the boundary during his ODI debut. He won’t return to the field in today’s match,” the statement by CA read.
Australia switched to bowling exclusively spin from the 32nd over. Frontline spinner Adam Zampa, in his 100th ODI, was supported by part-timers Travis Head, Marnus Labuschagne, and Matt Short. The spin bowlers collectively took nine wickets, with the leg-spin pair each claiming three.
Dwarshuis’ injury exacerbates the current crisis in Australian pace bowling
Prior to the tour, Australia was already missing Spencer Johnson and Nathan Ellis due to injuries sustained during The Hundred 2024 campaign in England. The situation worsened when Xavier Bartlett left the field during the first T20I with a side strain, ending his tour prematurely.
However, Australia’s spin attack affected England’s batting, as the hosts, led by Harry Brook in Buttler’s absence, collapsed from 213-2 to 315 all out.
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