Devastating news for Aussie cricket star Georgia Wareham

Australia has been dealt a blow ahead of a jam-packed calendar year of cricket in 2022, with a key player needing to undergo surgery.

Medical staff with Georgia Wareham after she suffered a knee injury against the Adelaide Strikers. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

Aussie cricket star Georgia Wareham has been dealt a crushing blow, with news that her knee injury is worse than initially thought.

Medical staff for the Australian cricket team confirmed on Monday that Wareham would undergo knee reconstruction surgery early next year, ruling her out of the Ashes, World Cup and 2022 Commonwealth Games.

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The leg-spinner picked the injury up while playing for the Melbourne Renegades in the WBBL last month.

Georgia Wareham was in agony. Picture: Sarah Reed/Getty Images

The Renegades been hopeful Wareham may not need to go under the knife, but it has now been confirmed that her left ACL would be reconstructed for the second time.

“Due to her previous history, Georgia requires a two-stage process to reconstruct her left ACL,” Australian team doctor Pip Inge said.

“She had a knee arthroscopy in Adelaide last week to remove the previous graft and will now commence rehab in Melbourne while she awaits for the knee to be ready for the ACL reconstruction in early 2022.

“Due to the recovery time, Georgia will be unavailable for the Ashes, World Cup and Commonwealth Games with her return to play timeframe expected to become clearer after the reconstruction.”

Devastating news.

We're with you all the way, Wolfie ❤️ pic.twitter.com/NWEA7BqMLm

— Australian Women's Cricket Team 🏏 (@AusWomenCricket) November 1, 2021

The news is a major blow for the Australian team, which now needs to plan for the absence of one of its most gifted young bowlers.

Amanda-Jade Wellington and Molly Strano could find themselves called into the national side in Wareham’s place, with spinners Sophie Molineux and Jess Jonassen likely to be locks for selection in the Ashes, World Cup and Commonwealth Games squads if fit.

With their victory over the Adelaide Strikers on Sunday, Wareham’s Renegades surged to the top of the WBBL ladder, having lost only one game so far in WBBL|07.