Mooney faces surgery on fractured jaw after nets blow

UPDATE: Australia coach Matthew Mott is optimistic Beth Mooney's World Cup - and potentially even her Ashes - hopes are not over despite the star batter undergoing surgery on a fractured jaw following an incident at training on Monday evening. 

Mooney, the world's top-ranked T20 batter and WBBL|07 leading run scorer, was facing throwdowns from Mott in the Karen Rolton Oval nets late in Australia's first official training session when she was struck evading what the Australia coach described as a 'rogue' delivery.

The ball struck Mooney with enough force for the Queenslander to immediately double over in pain. She removed her helmet and walked out of the nets, taking some time to compose herself while she was inspected by team medical staff.

With significant swelling visible on her jaw on the right side of her face, Mooney was taken for scans which confirmed the injury and will undergo surgery later today.

Her return date will be confirmed after the operation, but the significance of the injury puts her in serious doubt not only for the multi-format Ashes, but for the ODI World Cup campaign in New Zealand. Australia will depart for that campaign around February 10, but their first World Cup match is not until March 5. 

"Beth was batting incredibly well and as can happen, just a rogue ball came up and put her in a tough position and she tried to get out of the way, but copped it on the side of the chin," Mott said on Tuesday morning.

"The good news is our doctors are pretty positive that the way that jaw surgeries are working these days, the come back time is a bit shorter.

"She's in good spirits ... hopefully she gets that through that surgery well and we can find out exactly when she can re-enter the group.

"We'll have to be smart about that and what it looks like for her and listen to the surgeons.

"But she's an incredibly tough character. The ball hit her quite hard yesterday and her reaction was very stoic and all she asked for was a bit of water."

Mooney has been a run machine at the top of Australia's T20 order alongside Alyssa Healy since the 2017 Ashes, and the hosts may look to promote a member of the Australia A squad to replace the left-hander, with the uncapped Georgia Redmayne and experienced international Elyse Villani among the candidates.

Another candidate, Adelaide Strikers' opener Katie Mack, will miss the Adelaide leg of the 'A' tour after testing positive for COVID-19. 

"This is just the golden opportunity for a few players to put their hand up, there's certainly no reason why it can't come from outside the (main) squad," Mott said.

"(The selectors) will certainly sit down today and just work out what is the best for this group."

Australia are already missing spin stars Georgia Wareham (ACL) and Sophie Molineux (foot), but it is hoped the latter will be fully fit in time for the World Cup.

Ellyse Perry will miss Australia’s warm-up matches against Australia A at Karen Rolton Oval on Tuesday due to a COVID scare, but the star allrounder is expected to arrive in Adelaide today and will be available for the T20 series.

Off-spinner Molly Strano will also miss the T20 'A' matches in Adelaide after returning a positive test prior to leaving Hobart.

It's hoped both Mack and Strano will recover in time to re-join Australia A in Canberra for the one-day matches, with South Australia allrounder Courtney Webb called in as cover for the 20-over games.

A staple of Australia's ODI middle-order, Mooney's versatility was on display against India last year when she stepped up to open in place of an injured Rachael Haynes, scoring an unbeaten century, and backing up with a half-century when she returned to No.5 the following match.

Commonwealth Bank Women's Ashes v England

Australia Ashes squad: Darcie Brown, Nicola Carey, Hannah Darlington, Ashleigh Gardner, Rachael Haynes (vc), Alyssa Healy, Jess Jonassen, Alana King, Meg Lanning (c), Tahlia McGrath, Beth Mooney, Ellyse Perry, Megan Schutt, Annabel Sutherland, Tayla Vlaeminck

England Ashes squad: Heather Knight (c), Tammy Beaumont, Maia Bouchier, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Charlie Dean, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Tash Farrant, Sarah Glenn, Amy Jones, Nat Sciver (vc), Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danni Wyatt

Jan 20: First T20, Adelaide Oval

Jan 22: Second T20, Adelaide Oval

Jan 23: Third T20, Adelaide Oval

Jan 27-30: Test match, Manuka Oval

Feb 3: First ODI, Manuka Oval

Feb 6: Second ODI, Junction Oval

Feb 8: Third ODI, Junction Oval

Australia A v England A

Australia A squad: Georgia Redmayne (c), Maitlan Brown, Erin Burns, Stella Campbell, Nicole Faltum, Tess Flintoff, Heather Graham, Grace Harris, Phoebe Litchfield, Katie Mack, Courtney Sippel, Molly Strano, Elyse Villani, Georgia Voll, Courtney Webb, Amanda-Jade Wellington

England A squad: Emily Arlott, Lauren Bell, Alice Capsey, Alice Davidson-Richards, Georgia Elwiss, Kirstie Gordon, Eve Jones, Beth Langston, Emma Lamb, Bryony Smith, Ellie Threlkeld, Issy Wong

Jan 20: First T20, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide

Jan 21: Second T20, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide

Jan 23: Third T20, Karen Rolton Oval, Adelaide

Jan 28: First OD, Philip Oval, Canberra

Jan 30: Second OD, Philip Oval, Canberra

Feb 2: Third OD, Philip Oval, Canberra