Concussed Pucovski ruled out of England matches

Luckless Victorian Will Pucovski has been sidelined from the remaining one-day games of the England Lions tour on the Gold Coast after a freak incident left him with his eighth concussion. 

Pucovski has been replaced in the Cricket Australia XI by fellow Victorian and former Test opening batsman Marcus Harris for the two games on Tuesday and Thursday, while South Australian Jake Lehmann will take over the captaincy. 

The tight turnaround between games has seen CA take no chances with the talented batsman, whose latest injury came on his 22nd birthday. 

The Lions, who also play two one-day games against a NSW XI next week, will also play four-day matches against a CA XI side in Hobart, and against Australia A at the MCG later this month. Squads for those games are yet to be selected, and Pucovski's involvement in either of those matches must now under a cloud. 

Batting at No.3 for the CA XI in their one-day match against the touring England Lions side, Pucovski was attempting a quick single when his bat got stuck in the turf next to the drop-in pitch at Metricon Stadium as he was completing the run.

SCORECARD: CA XI v England Lions

As the bat jarred, Pucovski’s momentum meant he fell forward and landed heavily, hitting his head on the ground.

Pucovski failed a concussion test and was subbed out of the game, replaced in the CA XI side by state teammate Xavier Crone.

“I remember what happened," Pucovski said after play. "Obviously my bat got stuck and I went tumbling over then smacked my head on the ground pretty hard.

“I’m a bit on-off. I feel alright for 15 minutes and then feel a bit average for another 15. I should hopefully be back in action pretty quickly though.

“I’ll just keep in touch with the doctors and hopefully start to reduce a few symptoms, then get back into it.”

The Victorian has a long history of concussion but was not knocked unconscious in the incident and was sitting and talking to teammates on the boundary line as the match continued.

Pucovski is considered one of the brightest young cricketing prospects in Australia, but his development has been hampered by multiple concussions and a battle with mental illness.

The youngster has had an extraordinary run of bad luck with head knocks, the first of which came during a game of Australian Rules football when he was a teenager.

He has also been hit on the head by an errant ball during a net session, knocked his head on a door at his home in Melbourne and been struck on the helmet during matches for Victoria.

The right-hander was tipped to make his Test debut this summer before he withdrew from the CA XI match against Pakistan in November, citing mental illness.

Having returned to the Marsh Sheffield Shield with Victoria a few weeks later, he was this month named captain of the CA XI for their matches against the Lions.

"Obviously there's been some challenges, but I'm definitely making big strides forward," Pucovski said this week ahead of the first Lions game.

"I like doing it (captaincy). I guess I like thinking about the game, so in that sense it’s really good.

"Anytime you're selected to represent an Australia XI in any capacity is a huge honour.

"I've had a taste of it (Australian selection) here and there and it's been a pretty awesome experience when I have been in there. From a personal point of view I'd love to stay in these colours."

Meanwhile, young Queensland batsman Max Bryant was the star of the CA XI's total of 8-281, slamming a rapid century at the top of the order.

The powerful Brisbane Heat opener hammered 13 fours and five sixes against a Lions attack featuring recent England players Craig Overton, Lewis Gregory and Mason Crane.

Bryant was dismissed in just the 18th over of the innings for 102 from just 60 balls.

The England Lions chased down the target with 10 balls to spare, led by a century from Sam Hain, the former Australia U19 representative who has since switched allegiances.

Hain, who was raised on the Gold Coast to English parents, struck an unbeaten 122 from 128 balls.