Aussies dealt triple injury blow ahead of T20 decider as star sidelined after ‘nasty’ head knock

Australian all-rounder Mitchell Owen has been ruled out of the T20 decider against South Africa in Cairns along with next week’s ODI series due to concussion.

The Tasmanian was struck on the helmet after top-edging a 139km/h delivery from Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada during Tuesday’s second T20 in Darwin but continued batting after passing an initial on-field assessment by team medics.

“Geez, that’s nasty,” former Australian batter Mark Waugh said on Fox Cricket commentary.

Owen was eventually dismissed by South African quick Kwena Maphaka for 8 (13) as the tourists cruised towards a 53-run victory at Marrara Stadium.

On Thursday morning, Cricket Australia confirmed the 23-year-old suffered delayed concussion symptoms following his dismissal, meaning he will enter a mandatory 12-day stand-down and miss the remainder of the white-ball series. He was a chance to make his ODI debut against the Proteas next week having earned a maiden 50-over national call-up.

West Australian all-rounder Cooper Connolly has replaced Owen in the ODI squad, with the 21-year set to arrive in Cairns on Friday.

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Mitchell Owen of Australia is struck on the helmet off the bowling of Kagiso Rabada. Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Elsewhere, Victorian batter Matthew Short and West Australian fast bowler Lance Morris will also miss the ODI campaign against South Africa due to injury, replaced in the squad by Aaron Hardie and Matthew Kuhnemann.

Short has failed to recover from a side injury that ruled him out of last month’s T20 tour of the West Indies, while Morris reported lower back soreness while preparing for the ODIs.

“(Morris) has returned to Perth for further investigation and assessment,” CA said in a statement.

The injury-prone paceman made the most recent of his three ODI appearances in November last year.

If selected, spinner Kuhnemann will play his first ODI in three years next week, having featured in four matches against Sri Lanka in 2022.

With the series tied at 1-1, the third and final T20 between Australia and South Africa gets underway at Cairns’ Cazalys Stadium on Saturday evening at 7.15pm AEST.

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