England have been granted permission to call up Brydon Carse as a replacement for the injured Reece Topley at the Cricket World Cup.
Topley’s long-running injury curse struck again during Saturday’s record defeat at the hands of South Africa in Mumbai, with the in-form left-arm seamer fracturing the index finger of his bowling hand attempting to block a drive.
The 29-year-old’s initial anguished reaction gave a heavy hint he was in trouble and, although he bravely returned to the attack with taped-up digits, follow-up scans confirmed the Surrey seamer had suffered a break.
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Reece Topley strikes as South Africa’s danger-man Quinton De Kock nicks behind the second ball of the innings
England, who are in strife after three heavy defeats in their first four games, have now been granted permission to bring in a replacement, with Durham right-armer Carse the player called up as another pace option.
“The Event Technical Committee of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 has approved Brydon Carse as a replacement for Reece Topley in the England squad,” a statement from the ICC read.
“Carse, who has played 12 ODIs, was named as a replacement as Topley was ruled out of the tournament after breaking his left index finger during England’s match against South Africa on Saturday.
“The replacement of a player requires the approval of the Event Technical Committee before the replacement player can be officially added to the squad.”
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Brydon Carse grabbed the key wicket of Daryl Mitchell during England’s home ODI series against New Zealand ahead of the Cricket World Cup
Carse made his ODI debut for England in a nine-wicket win at home to Pakistan in 2021 and since then has gone on to take 14 wickets at an average of 33.92 in 12 appearances.
It remains to be seen whether the 28-year-old will be thrown straight into action on Thursday, when England face Sri Lanka in a must-win match in Bangalore.
Announcing Topley’s exit from the campaign, the England and Wales Cricket Board said: “Scans in Mumbai on Saturday, after the match at the Wankhede Stadium, revealed the full extent of the injury. Topley will return to the UK in the next 24 hours.
“He will work closely with the England and Surrey medical teams in respect of his rehabilitation. A replacement will be announced in due course.”
Root backs ‘Junior Plunkett’ to play vital role
Joe Root believes Carse could inherit Liam Plunkett’s mantle as master of the middle overs for England.
Plunkett was often undervalued for his role in England’s white-ball revolution but played a crucial role in the 2019 final and was the only squad member to enjoy a 100 per cent record at the tournament.
England have never quite found their heir to Plunkett, who nailed a tricky role through the middle of the innings, and Root believes the all-rounder could carry that baton.
“Brydon is a brilliant all-round package,” Root said. “He scores some handy runs for you, is very dynamic in the field and he’s got a unique wicket-taking ability.
“He’s got that Ben Stokes element to him where you sometimes feel like nothing is happening and then he’ll pick up wickets, almost in a ‘Junior Plunkett’ kind of way. He’s very similar.
“Pudsey [Plunkett] won’t like me saying this, but he’s almost got more to offer with the bat. He’s probably not got as much to offer in the dressing room just yet, but he’s a big personality too and a great character to have around, so he’s a good addition.
“Whenever someone comes in and they’re excited, and you can see it on their face straightaway, a smile is infectious, isn’t it? It can bring the best out of everyone and having that come into the group can’t be a bad thing for sure.”
What’s next?
England next face Sri Lanka in a must-win match for both sides on Thursday in Bangalore, with coverage live on Sky Sports Cricket from 9am (first ball at 9.30am). Watch every game of the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup live on Sky Sports. You can stream the tournament on NOW.