Cricket Australia confirmed on Monday, October 19, that Darcie Brown has been ruled out of the entire Women's Big Bash League season with a back disc injury. The WBBL runs from October 29 to December 5, so Brown will miss the entire competition.
Brown, 23, first developed the disc problem during the Australia A tour of India, where she featured in two T20s and one ODI, claiming 3 for 39 in Mohali. On returning home, she was unavailable for Australia's bilateral series against Bangladesh and New Zealand as the injury continued to persist.
Cricket Australia placed Brown on a de-loading programme under the supervision of the national medical staff following her return from India. The programme aimed to reduce stress on the affected disc and allow natural recovery, with national selector Shawn Flegler saying late last month that the medical team genuinely hoped she could return for the second half of the WBBL campaign.
"Brown was assessed following her return home from India last month, and following a period of de-loading, her injury has not yet recovered to a point where she is ready to resume training. As a result, and she will be unable to return to full fitness in time for the upcoming WBBL season," CA said in a statement.
Brown has represented Australia across all three formats, appearing in 6 Tests, 30 ODIs and 41 T20 Internationals. She has been recorded at a top speed of 127.2 km/h, making her one of the fastest women's bowlers in the game. Earlier in the year, she was not included in Australia's T20 World Cup squad, with the national hierarchy concluding that conditions in England did not call for express pace. The back disc issue that has now ended her WBBL campaign first surfaced during the Australia A tour of India, where she nonetheless performed effectively before the injury worsened upon her return home.
What is next for Brown after missing the WBBL?
Despite the setback, Flegler confirmed that Brown remains in contention for the Women's T20 Champions Trophy, scheduled to be held in India from February 14 to 28. The focus for Brown and Cricket Australia's medical staff will be on building her back to full fitness ahead of that tournament, which represents the next significant target on the international calendar.
Adelaide Strikers coach Luke Williams acknowledged the impact of her absence, stating that Brown is a quality player who will be missed but remains an important part of the squad. No replacement has been confirmed for Brown in the Adelaide Strikers squad for the WBBL season.
