The ICC’s unfathomable decision to let England play against Pakistan in a warm-up has robbed Reece Topley of a career highlight by starring at the T20 World Cup.
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Reece Topley overcame four stress fractures to his back in five years to finally cement his place as a key part of England’s World Cup challenge. Then it all fell apart when he stepped on a sponge boundary marker nicknamed the “Toblerone.”
How cruel is the ankle injury that will likely require surgery and, the ICC confirmed on Wednesday, will keep Topley out of this World Cup.
How terribly unhappy is the bowler who has fought seemingly constant adversity to miss a tournament that, at the age of 28, should be the pinnacle of his career.
Reece Topley banned from participating in the T20 World Cup after a freak ankle injury
He stepped on the ‘Toblerone’ boundary foam during a field drill (pictured, the bowler taking a catch to sack Haider Ali during the recent T20 series against Pakistan last month)
Nothing summed up the plight of the left-armer destined to play a pivotal role in the death of the opposition innings here than the news that his parents, Don and Julia, were passing through on their way to Perth when the news broke that Topley had badly damaged tires. And all he did was catch drills in Brisbane.
Topley’s mother was in tears when she stopped in Singapore on her way to Perth for the opening game of the World Cup in England against Afghanistan on Saturday and learned the news. There was no turning back for Don, the former Essex sailor, and his wife then.
England will now regret the ICC’s unfathomable decision to send them to the Gabba to face Pakistan in a pointless warm-up on Monday even more. They didn’t want to play that game and now it has cost them the services of an important bowler.
Yes, Topley could have been injured if England had stayed in Perth before embarking on their frenzied journey across Australia at the behest of the governing body.
But the fact that the latest freak injury occurred during a seemingly innocuous field practice prior to a game he wasn’t even supposed to play in only added more salt to Topley’s wounds as he ponders another long mind-destroying spell on the sidelines.
England’s game against Pakistan on Monday was pointless but they were forced to play it by the ICC – a result they deeply regret due to Topley’s injury
Topley’s accident will open the door for another left-wing poorer in Tymal Mills, who was ratified by the ICC on Wednesday as the official replacement and who will take up his role in the squad after appearing here alongside Richard Gleeson and Liam Dawson as a traveling reserve has made. Luke Wood of Lancashire will now travel to Australia to replenish reserves and to England in Melbourne next week.
But England have yet to decide who will step up to take Topley’s place at Perth Stadium on Saturday, with a number of bowlers vying for position.
Sam Curran was already destined for a seat alongside the banker bowlers in Mark Wood and Adil Rashid, but Chris Jordan, Chris Woakes and David Willey are now all set to take on the role Topley had mastered.
England will then have to decide whether another player who has had to overcome a freak ankle injury in Liam Livingstone will be fit to play after declaring himself ’90 per cent fit’ after coming back into action with a bang in that exhibition win over Pakistan in the Gabba.
Topley’s mom was in tears when she stopped in Singapore on her way to Perth and found out
Livingstone is another player who regrets England’s travel itinerary as he tends to a damaged left ankle when he slipped on the pavement while playing for Birmingham in the Hundred.
“Flying hasn’t made it the easiest,” Livingstone admitted after hitting 28 from 16 balls in Brisbane, including a monster six, even by his standards, that sailed across the Gabba roof. “Every time I fly, I have to compress it.
“It just means the physio wraps it up so it doesn’t swell. The swelling is what limits my range of motion, making it a bit more painful to exercise. So I’ll be training pretty much every morning and icing all afternoon. It’s been annoying, but there’s a World Cup for England to play for, so all the dull days are worth it.”
England are hoping that all the hassle they have suffered on their journey through Australia will be worth it when they head to Perth Stadium on Saturday.