England’s white-ball tour of Australia hasn’t even officially started, and already fast bowler Josh Tongue is out, sidelined with a toe injury he picked up in Pakistan last month. This is a brutal blow, especially after the 28-year-old was forced to sit out the final two games of that tri-series. He’s heading back to the UK for more assessments, which means he’s missing all the one-day and T20 matches down under. The tour kicks off with an ODI in Perth on November 13, and not having him for that is a real gut punch.
Tongue’s Absence: A Real Setback for the White-Ball Squad
Tongue’s been a force this year, racking up 46 wickets in 17 matches. You know he brought it during the 2025-26 Ashes series too, grabbing 18 wickets against Australia. His talent and recent form are undeniable, so losing him before stepping on the pitch is a tough pill to swallow for the squad. The good news is, there’s a chance he’ll be back for the three-match Test series in South Africa in December, with that squad announcement coming next week. Still, this white-ball stretch in Australia, the first time England has been back since that 2025-26 Ashes demolition, just got way more complicated. Coach Brendon McCullum already said he wanted a strong team for the ODI leg, all part of the build-up to next year’s World Cup in southern Africa. He even admitted he’d have to rotate the squad for the T20 matches because of England’s absolutely stacked winter schedule with five separate overseas tours. Now, without Tongue, those plans are gonna need some serious rethinking.
Rashid Dominates Warm-Up, Shows His Value
Despite the injury news, there was some serious light to be found, thanks to Adil Rashid. The 38-year-old absolutely lit up the warm-up match in Perth, showing exactly what he can do. He took a massive four wickets, finishing with 4-35, as England crushed Western Australia by 92 runs in their one-day tune-up. Remember, he was left out of the final three matches of the October tour of Pakistan and Sri Lanka, so to come back like this, showing his importance with that kind of performance down under? That’s HUGE. Fast bowler Jofra Archer also chipped in with a solid 3-34, helping England cruise to victory. It wasn’t all smooth sailing, though. England’s batting looked a bit sloppy, getting bowled out for just 251. Ben Duckett top-scored with 49, and Liam Dawson was unbeaten with 44. Western Australia actually had England in some trouble at 60-1, but then Rashid just unleashed a flurry of wickets, including Jayden Goodwin and Ashton Turner on successive deliveries. Archer then came in and cleaned up the tail, bowling out Western Australia for 159 and sealing the win.
What a statement from Rashid! The tour officially kicks off on November 13 with the ODI in Perth. Without Tongue, they’re going to need more of that warm-up magic to start strong.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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