Triple blow with Wareham ruled out for lengthy stint

Australia's worst fears have been realised with leg-spinner Georgia Wareham ruled out of the upcoming World Cup, Ashes and Commonwealth Games campaigns due to a serious knee injury.

Wareham ruptured her ACL during a WBBL game two weeks ago having previously suffered the same injury as a teenager, with medical staff confirming the 22-year-old requires two rounds of surgery to repair the knee.

Having had her previous knee graft removed during surgery last week, Wareham now must wait for that injury to recover before she's able to have full reconstructive surgery early next year.

Australia will face England in the Ashes in January and February before heading to New Zealand for the 50-over World Cup.

They will then take part in the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the first time women's cricket has been part of that event.

Wareham has been a fixture in the Australia squad since debuting in late 2018, and has been the only wrist spinner in the national side throughout that period alongside finger-spinners Ashleigh Gardner, Jess Jonassen, Sophie Molineux and Molly Strano.

Former Australia leg-spinner Kristen Beams said Adelaide Strikers leggie Amanda-Jade Wellington, Perth's Alana King and the Hobart Hurricanes' Maisy Gibson are the leading contenders should selectors decide they need a wrist spinner in their squad for their upcoming campaigns.

But she added the depth of finger spinners available could mean the Aussies go into their pivotal campaigns without a wrist spinner.

"It'll be interesting whether they want to do a straight swap from an Australian point of view," Beams told The Scoop last week.

"I think we'll see a leg-spinner added (to the squad), but they've also got some options within that Australian set-up. The two left-arm orthodox (spinners), will we see Jonassen and Molineux play in the same team? Can they bowl differently? Then you've got Ash Gardner and you've also got Molly Strano who's been in and around (the squad).

"It's whether they choose to go with a leg-spinning option, or just options that go away from the bat and try and do that a little bit differently.

"The reality is it is a dent to that Australian team because Georgia Wareham is so important to them so they're going to have to re-work and have a different plan for how they attack the next 12 months without her."

Wareham missed the majority of WBBL|06 with a stress reaction in her lower leg, but recovered for the Women's National Cricket League and tour of New Zealand in the second half of the 2020-21 summer.

"Due to her previous history, Georgia requires a two-stage process to reconstruct her left ACL," Australian Team Doctor, Pip Inge, said in a statement.

"She had a knee arthroscopy in Adelaide last week to remove the previous graft and will now commence rehab in Melbourne while she awaits for the knee to be ready for the ACL reconstruction in early 2022.

"Due to the recovery time, Georgia will be unavailable for the Ashes, World Cup and Commonwealth Games with her return to play time-frame expected to become clearer after the reconstruction."