Pucovski subbed out after latest head knock

Will Pucovski has been substituted out of Victoria's Second XI match in Adelaide, but not before returning to the crease to add a further 47 runs following a blow to the helmet. 

Playing for Victoria's Second XI against South Australia ahead of next week's Marsh Sheffield Shield resumption, Pucovski was on 42 when he was hit on the helmet attempting to pull a short ball off paceman David Grant.

The 25-year-old continued his innings after an initial assessment that took several minutes, and faced a further four balls from the other end in the ensuing over.

But after signalling for a drink at the end of that over, Pucovski walked off the ground and underwent a concussion test soon after.

It was understood to be Pucovski's decision to come off the field, having felt dizzy running between the wickets after his batting partner Nic Maddinson hit a three.

The caution was understandable given his luckless run with head injuries – several of them coming after freak accidents – which have derailed his career since making his Test debut three years ago.

However a Cricket Victoria spokesperson confirmed that Pucovski has since been cleared to continue batting in Adelaide.

"Pucovski passed a concussion test before batting in the nets where he was given the all clear to continue playing," the spokesperson said.

"He will be monitored through the day and the rest of the game."

Pucovski added a further 47 runs when he returned to the crease, but was later subbed out by Victoria to prepare for the return of the Shield season, which resumes on February 3 for Victoria.

Cricket Victoria head of male cricket Dave Hussey said: "We were pleased with how Will performed in his knock of 89 and he did everything asked of him at the crease. After conversations with our medical staff and with Will's history in mind, we have decided it would be sensible to substitute him out of this game to allow him time to prepare for our upcoming Shield game against South Australia which starts in 10 days."

There has been optimism over Pucovski's prospects during the first half of the Shield summer after a stop-start run over recent seasons due to both concussion and mental health concerns.

The right-hander's returns (189 runs at 21, with one fifty from five games) have been lean by the standards of a batter who held a first-class average of nearly 50 coming into the season.

But Victoria had been eager for Pucovski to simply get an extended run of matches, after he had made a comeback through club cricket stints in Melbourne and the UK last year.

"It seemed like he was really enjoying his cricket again," Pucovski's close friend Sam Harper told cricket.com.au in September.

"Going to England, just the continuity of that … he's looking to just keep playing cricket. Hopefully this is the start of a good run."