Melbourne Renegades fast bowler ruled out of third straight WBBL season due to shoulder injury suffered at T20 World Cup
Melbourne Renegades have confirmed Tayla Vlaeminck will miss this summer’s milestone Weber WBBL|10 season due to a shoulder injury sustained during Australia’s T20 World Cup campaign.
The right-arm quick dislocated her right shoulder while fielding in the first over of Australia’s World Cup match against Pakistan in Dubai last week and was later replaced in the squad by allrounder Heather Graham.
It was Vlaeminck’s first T20 World Cup game since the 2018 edition, but her tournament was over just four balls in when she dived to save a boundary and landed on her shoulder joint.
This will be the third consecutive Women’s Big Bash League season that Vlaeminck will miss as she continues a frustrating run that has seen her stuck in an injury-surgery-rehab-injury loop.
After an impressive WBBL|07 with the Hobart Hurricanes, the Victorian moved back to her home state on a two-year deal with the Renegades.
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But she sat out the 2022-23 season as she recovered from a navicular stress fracture in her right foot, the same injury that saw her agonisingly ruled out on the eve of Australia’s home T20 World Cup in 2020.
Vlaeminck was again sidelined for the entire WBBL|09 season in 2023-24 after undergoing surgery on her left shoulder.
The 25-year-old made her much-awaited return to the Australian colours in March this year during Australia’s tour of Bangladesh. She again impressed with her pace playing for Australia A in the series against India A in August, earning a spot in the T20 World Cup squad.
While Vlaeminck is known to be among the fastest bowlers in women’s cricket, the Renegades will be looking to their off-season recruitment of teenage pace sensation Milly Illingworth to help fill the void.
The 19-year-old debuted for Melbourne Stars last year and grabbed eyeballs with her slingy action and raw pace, breaching the 120kph mark. She will boost the ‘Gades experienced fast bowling line-up of Sarah Coyte, Georgia Prestwidge and draft pick Deandra Dottin.
Australia’s World Cup ended with an eight-wicket semi-final defeat to South Africa last night, with Cricket Australia to provide further updates on Vlaeminck’s recovery timeframe when the squad returns home from the UAE.
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