Nathan Ellis has been sidelined from Australia’s ongoing T20I series against Scotland and the subsequent white-ball matches in England due to a hamstring injury. The injury, sustained during the Hundred while playing for London Spirit, has denied Ellis a rare opportunity to lead Australia’s bowling attack. Cricket Australia confirmed on Friday that Ellis had not recovered in time and would return home.
Ellis had hoped to make his mark in the absence of Australia’s key fast bowlers, with Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins rested and Josh Hazlewood recovering from a calf strain. He has played 17 T20Is, including appearances at the 2024 T20 World Cup, but his opportunities have often been limited when the main bowlers are available.
Riley Meredith, who played his first international match since 2021 in Australia’s dominant win over Scotland, will remain with the squad as cover for Ellis. This development also means Somerset will likely miss Meredith for the T20 Blast Finals Day, scheduled for Saturday.
Meanwhile, Josh Hazlewood has arrived in England after recovering from his minor calf injury. He is expected to join the squad for the first T20I at the Utilita Bowl in Southampton on Wednesday. Cricket Australia has yet to name a replacement for Ellis in the upcoming five-match ODI series against England, which begins on September 19.
While Meredith could theoretically be released to play for Somerset on Finals Day at Edgbaston, Somerset captain Lewis Gregory has indicated that the team does not expect to have him available. Somerset, however, will still field a full squad in the absence of any players in England’s T20I lineup.
