The ECB has confirmed that Jacob Bethell has been ruled out of England's white-ball tour of Australia following a scan on his right knee. James Coles and Eddie Jack have been called into the ODI squad as replacements for Bethell and Josh Tongue.
What Was Announced
According to the ECB, Bethell suffered a setback in his return from the injury during a training session in Perth earlier this week. The scan on his right knee followed that setback.
With a busy winter ahead, the ECB said it was decided that Bethell will return to the UK on Saturday before seeing a specialist. The board did not give any further medical detail or a timeline for his return.
The ECB also confirmed two additions to the one-day squad:
- James Coles, called up as a replacement
- Eddie Jack, called up as a replacement
The two players replace Bethell and Josh Tongue in the ODI squad. Coles and Jack are due to arrive in Perth on Thursday.
What It Means
England lose Bethell for the whole of the white-ball tour of Australia, with the decision made after the setback in Perth rather than waiting to see how the knee settled on tour. The ECB has framed the move around the workload of a busy winter, sending him home to see a specialist rather than keeping him with the squad.
The changes leave the ODI squad with two new faces arriving in Perth this week, as the board replaces both Bethell and Tongue in the one-day group. The ECB did not say whether any change would be made to other squads for the tour.
Bethell's next step, as the ECB set out, is the specialist appointment after he returns to the UK on Saturday. Coles and Jack, meanwhile, link up with the rest of the England squad in Perth on Thursday ahead of the one-day series.
Source: ECB news.