Luckless Vlaeminck sidelined by fresh surgery

Tayla Vlaeminck has been dealt another cruel injury blow, with the fast bowler to miss the upcoming Weber WBBL season after surgery on her left shoulder.

Vlaeminck dislocated her non-bowling shoulder while bowling during Australia A's final 50-over match in England in early July.

The innocuous action that led to the dislocation and the likelihood of it reoccurring meant CA's medical staff determined having surgery to stabilise the joint was the best path forward for the 24-year-old.

The right-armer has already started rehab but will not be available for selection for Australia's upcoming home white-ball series against West Indies, and she will also miss the Melbourne Renegades' WBBL|09 campaign and the start of the domestic 50-over season.

Vlaeminck, who is one of the world's fastest bowlers, had made a long-awaited return to cricket on the Australia A tour in June and July after recovering from her second serious foot injury.

The Victorian was diagnosed with a stress fracture in her navicular bone during the last home Ashes in January 2022 and subsequently missed the ODI World Cup in New Zealand, 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and the 2023 T20 World Cup in South Africa.

Her first brush with the same injury ruled her out of the home T20 World Cup in 2020.

"We're disappointed for Tayla, she has shown incredible resilience and perseverance throughout injury setbacks over the past few years and worked hard to earn her spot on the Australia A tour," CA head of performance Shawn Flegler said.

"We will continue to work collaboratively with Cricket Victoria's high performance staff to support Tayla over the course of her rehabilitation."

Vlaeminck's last appearance for Australia was a T20I in Adelaide in January 2022.

She last played in the WBBL in 2021 when she was contracted to Hobart Hurricanes, before it was announced she would return to the Renegades – her original club – last year.