Unlucky Richardson considers surgery after latest setback

Fast bowler Jhye Richardson will meet with specialists this week to determine whether surgery is required for his troublesome left hamstring. 

Richardson has been hampered by the same injury at various stages for a year now, first running into troubles with his hamstring in last summer's Marsh One-Day Cup final, causing him to miss Western Australia's drought-breaking Marsh Sheffield Shield title.  

The injury then re-appeared in the KFC BBL on January 4, and while Richardson was initially expected to return in time for the finals, the Scorchers took a "cautious approach" with the speedster and he missed the rest of the campaign.  

However, just two weeks ago Richardson was named in Australia's ODI squad to face India following the Border Gavaskar Trophy. 

But the 26-year-old suffered his latest setback four overs into his return for Premier Cricket club Fremantle last Saturday, reinjuring the same hamstring after claiming 3-5 in those opening overs.

He has since been ruled out of the ODI tour, replaced by Nathan Ellis, with WA coach Adam Voges today confirming it could be another long layoff for Richardson.  

"My understanding (is) that Jhye will meet the surgeons this week and then they'll work out what the best path forward is for him," Voges told reporters the day after WA clinched another Marsh Cup title.  

"It's devastating that he's reinjured that hamstring again and he's going to miss a significant amount of time to get his hamstring right. 

"We all feel for Jhye and we're hopeful that whatever they come up with as a solution will fix his hamstring and we'll get him back out there because it's been a tough 12 months for him." 

In recent years Richardson has suffered various injuries at often unfortunate times, halting his push for a permanent place in Australia’s Test and white-ball squads. 

He dislocated his right shoulder in a fielding mishap prior to the ICC World Cup in mid-2019 and underwent two operations, which – along with a side strain suffered in 2021 – saw him sidelined from first-class cricket for two Australia summers. 

After a five-wicket haul against England in Adelaide during Australia’s 4-0 Ashes triumph in the 2021-22 summer, Richardson was hampered by a shin complaint which paved the way for Scott Boland to make his Test debut. 

As well as this current ongoing hamstring complaint, the right-armer also missed three Sheffield Shield games earlier this season with heel bruising. 

The latest setback leaves Richardson's hopes of a berth in Australia's Ashes squad in serious doubt, with several months the standard recovery period for hamstring surgery. 

With the one-day cup title in the bag for the second-straight season, Voges said WA's focus will turn immediately to the Sheffield Shield, where they are also hunting back-to-back titles.  

With one regular season fixture remaining (against Victoria at the WACA on March 14), Western Australia have already sealed top spot and a home final.  

And Voges is hopeful Lance Morris, who is still with the Test squad in Ahmedabad, could be released in time to return to his state side.  

"I'm hoping Lance Morris is available. That will be another phone call to the selectors tonight to find out what's going on," Voges said. 

"If we could get Lance back, he'd come (straight) back in."

Also on the cusp of a return is veteran Shaun Marsh, who has missed a majority of the summer with a combination of calf, hamstring and finger injuries.  

But Voges said after a half-century for Fremantle in club cricket last weekend, that Marsh too is in the mix for selection.  

"He'll play club cricket again this weekend and that'll be another important step for him in terms of selection for next week," Voges said.  

"We've played most of the year without him but it would be a bonus if we can get him back."