Melbourne Stars captain Marcus Stoinis has expressed confidence he will be cleared to play after a worrying injury to his batting hand, with the Big Bash League finals and the upcoming T20 World Cup on the line.
Injury Scare During Crucial Victory
The 36-year-old Australian allrounder was struck on the right thumb by a sharp delivery from Adelaide Strikers paceman Jamie Overton during Tuesday night's match at the MCG. The incident occurred with the Stars needing just two runs for victory, a target they ultimately reached with a six-wicket win.
Stoinis immediately retired hurt as a precautionary measure. "I think I'll probably be getting a scan, but I reckon it's alright," Stoinis said after the match while applying ice to the injured area. He revealed that initial impact felt minor, but pain set in shortly after. "After about 10 seconds your hand starts shaking a bit and you're a bit nervous about it," he admitted, referencing past experiences with broken fingers.
Teammates and Timing Influence Decision
The decision to leave the field was influenced by Strikers players Chris Lynn and Matt Short, who "talked some sense into me" given the match situation was already secure. Stoinis agreed it was the correct call, stating it was "not worth the risk at that stage of the game."
This setback comes at a critical juncture. The Stars have secured their BBL finals berth and can lock in a top-two spot with a win over Perth Scorchers this Saturday. More broadly, the Australian T20 World Cup squad is already managing several injury concerns, including:
- Pat Cummins (back)
- Josh Hazlewood (calf and Achilles)
- Tim David (hamstring)
All are racing against time to be fit for the global tournament, which begins on February 7.
Concerns Over MCG Pitch Surface
The injury occurred on a difficult batting surface at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. After being sent in, the Adelaide Strikers were bowled out for a paltry 83 runs, their second-lowest total in BBL history and the third-lowest by any team at the MCG. Despite the low target, the Stars laboured for 15.1 overs to secure the win.
Stoinis was cautious in his assessment of the wicket, mindful of the recent controversy surrounding the Boxing Day Test pitch at the same venue, which saw the Ashes Test conclude in just two days. "I'm always nervous with what you say these days about that sort of stuff," he said, before conceding, "I'm sure you guys could see it was a tough surface."
He described the strip as "tough for T20 cricket," noting the ball "went up, it went down and it nipped." Stoinis revealed curators had taken grass off the same wicket used in the previous game following team feedback requesting a better surface, but the result was still not ideal for the batters.
With finals and World Cup duties looming, all eyes will now be on the results of Stoinis's scan as he and his Australian teammates hope for a clean bill of health.
