InMobi

Why in-form Kiwi will miss World Cup

After dominating Australia’s bowlers in Brisbane, Will Young will return home for shoulder surgery

He dominated some of the best bowlers in the world three times in the past five days, but Kiwi batsman Will Young will now face a frustrating winter at home instead of capitalising on one of the best weeks of his cricketing life.

The uncapped right-hander stunned a star-studded Australian bowling attack in Brisbane this week, posting scores of 60, 130 and 111 against the likes of Pat Cummins and Mitchell Starc to announce himself as a player to watch in future Trans-Tasman battles.

Full highlights: Smith, Maxi on song

Young’s strong showing was emblematic of a rollercoaster 2019 so far that has seen him earn a national contract for the first time but also miss out on a Test debut after the tragic events in Christchurch in March led to the cancellation of what would have been his first international match, against Bangladesh at Hagley Oval.

This week, instead of flying to the UK for a possible chance at playing in a World Cup, Young will return to New Zealand for an operation that, while necessary, he concedes could not have come at a worse time for him.

"My throwing shoulder isn't really where it needs to be, I've been in quite a lot of pain throwing," Young told Radio Sport earlier this week, before he posted back-to-back centuries against Australia’s Cup attack at Allan Border Field.

“I had an MRI scan the day before I flew out to Australia and the results weren't good. I've done some damage in there that requires surgery.

"I'm going to be returning home to get that surgery done as soon as possible and to start the lengthy rehab process, which is something I'm not looking forward to and is hugely gutting, just after it was announced that I was getting a contract."

Young’s decision to go under the knife was made with the knowledge that he was only an outside chance of playing a part in New Zealand’s World Cup campaign.

Full highlights: NZ XI too good for Aussies

The 27-year-old was not named in New Zealand’s preliminary Cup squad in April and, if he was fully fit, would have only earned a call-up in the case of an injury to one of NZ’s leading batsmen.

And with a batting line-up headlined by Kane Williamson, Martin Guptill and Ross Taylor, Young has taken the long-term view that getting his body back to his best is more important than an unlikely opportunity at playing in the 50-over game’s biggest event.

"There's a huge amount of 'ifs' going all the way to England as batting cover,” he said.

“You might get added to the squad if something bad happens to one of the top batsmen, but you're not even guaranteed there to get a game. So there were too many 'ifs' to play through the pain and go down that route.

"It means I'm not going over to play some club cricket in England, and perhaps be batting cover over there, but I need to be able to throw and hopefully I've got a few more years left in me yet.

“So I'll get that throwing shoulder sorted and then hit the ground running by next New Zealand summer. I think the right decision was made to get back home, and get it sorted out as soon as possible." 

2019 World Cup

Australia's squad: Aaron Finch (c), Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Pat Cummins, Usman Khawaja, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, David Warner, Adam Zampa

May 22: (warm-up) Australia v West Indies, Southampton

May 25: (warm-up) England v Australia, Southampton

May 27: (warm-up) Australia v Sri Lanka, Southampton

June 1: Afghanistan v Australia, Bristol (D/N)

June 6: Australia v West Indies, Trent Bridge

June 9: India v Australia, The Oval

June 12: Australia v Pakistan, Taunton

June 15: Sri Lanka v Australia, The Oval

June 20: Australia v Bangladesh, Trent Bridge

June 25: England v Australia, Lord's

June 29: New Zealand v Australia, Lord's (D/N)

July 6: Australia v South Africa, Old Trafford (D/N)

July 9: Semi-Final 1, Old Trafford

July 11: Semi-Final 2, Edgbaston

July 14: Final, Lord's

For a full list of all World Cup fixtures, click HERE