Western Australia fast bowler Lance Morris will miss about four more weeks of cricket after cutting his hand when he fell onto glass at his engagement party on Saturday night, WA Cricket confirmed on Tuesday. The 28-year-old had surgery on Monday to repair the cut to his non-bowling left hand.
What Was Announced
Kade Harvey, WA Cricket's high performance boss, said in a statement released on Tuesday evening that Morris would return to bowling at training next week, "with the goal of playing in approximately four weeks".
"Lance sustained the cut after slipping and falling on glass at his engagement party at his parent's house on Saturday night," Harvey said.
The injury came on the same day Morris played his first game for WA in 20 months. He had been out after back surgery, and his comeback was delayed further by a side strain suffered during a preseason practice match in August. In that return on Saturday, a tour match against England at the WACA Ground, the right-armer took a wicket with his second ball and finished with 3/29 from 10 overs.
Morris has played three ODIs for Australia. According to cricket.com.au, he has played 26 first-class matches since his Sheffield Shield debut in October 2020.
What It Means
Morris had been eyeing a possible Sheffield Shield return before Christmas. It now appears likely that any red-ball cricket for him will have to wait until after Perth Scorchers' BBL|16 campaign.
WA men's coach Beau Casson said after Saturday's match that the side would not "take reckless risks" with the fast bowler. "We're going to make sure that he's 100 per cent healthy to be able to do that," Casson said of Morris' Shield prospects. "We're going to be patient, but we've been very specific and deliberate in the plans."
WA are back in action on Wednesday, when they face Victoria in round four of the Sheffield Shield at the MCG. They sit second in the standings with 18.03 points from three matches.
Source: Cricket Australia report.