Hyderabad: Victorian all-rounder Andrew McDonald and New South Wales speedster Burt Cockley are the latest additions to the Australian side battling with injuries. They will be taking the place of Moises Henriques, who has flown back home nursing a hamstring injury, and Peter Siddle, who returned home with stiffness in his left side, respectively.

Cricket Australia said in a press release on Wednesday that Henriques would return home after suffering a hamstring injury during the fourth ODI in Mohali. The release also said that the CA National Selection Panel (NSP) have decided that McDonald and Cockley would join the squad for the sixth ODI in Guwahati as replacement players for Henriques and Peter Siddle, who returned home early this morning with stiffness in his left side.

“Moises complained of some discomfort after the fourth ODI in Mohali. He had an MRI scan when we arrived in Hyderabad which showed signs of injury to the right hamstring,” Australian physiotherapist Kevin Sims said. “The medical staff believes the injury will not recover sufficiently for him to participate in the last week of the tour and therefore we have decided he will return to Australia where he will continue his treatment.”

Australia’s National Selection Panel Chairman Andrew Hilditch said McDonald’s form in the Champions League Twenty20 was instrumental in getting him a call-up while Cockley was rewarded for his performance in the Ford Ranger Cup.

“Andrew played very well for Victoria in the recent Champions League in India. He was in very good form in the first Sheffield Shield game, scoring a hundred and bowling impressively on a batsman friendly Adelaide wicket and backing that up with a dominant display in tonight’s Ford Ranger Cup match,” Hilditch said. “We are sure that Andrew will grab his opportunity and perform well in the Australian one-day set up.”

“Burt is someone who the NSP has identified in the last 12 months as someone who could have an impact at international level. He performed well in the recent Ford Ranger Cup game against Western Australia and we think he will be well suited to Indian conditions. This is a great opportunity for a young Australian fast bowler to have an impact at the international level,” added Hilditch.

Australia’s injury worries have been increasing by the day. They landed in India without key players like Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin and a string of injuries during the series saw Brett Lee, James Hopes, Tim Paine, Siddle and now Henriques return home.

Tagged with: Andrew McDonald, Australia, Brad Haddin, Brett Lee, Burt Cockley, Hyderabad, India, James Hopes, Michael Clarke, Moises Henriques, New South Wales, Peter Siddle, Victoria

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