Photo Credit: Queensland Cricket
Queensland and Australian leg-spinner Mitch Swepson could miss the remainder of the 2020-21 season as he recovers from a stress fracture in one of his neck vertebrae.Swepson developed pain in his neck prior to the recent KFC Big Bash League where he played the last six matches for the Brisbane Heat and consulted with QC medical staff again before the resumption of the Marsh Sheffield Shield and One Day Cup competitions.
Subsequent scans and tests revealed a stress fracture in the C6 vertebrae.
Queensland Cricket medical staff have recommended a period of six weeks with no bowling and will re-scan and re-test him after that period to ascertain the next course of action.
QC Sports Science & Sports Medicine Manager Martin Love said they would take a measured approach in treating the 27-year-old Swepson.
“It is certainly not a common injury with spinners for instance, and so while Australian Cricket has a great deal of information about managing stress fractures in fast bowlers, it is not quite as clear cut in Mitch’s case,’’ he said.
“We will work closely with Mitch and Cricket Australia to manage his recovery. We are encouraged by the successful returns of many bowlers who have had to deal with back stress fractures during their careers so hopefully this case proves relatively straight forward,” Love said.
Swepson was the Shield competition’s leading wicket-taker in the first phase of the season in Adelaide, with 23 wickets at 21.17, including three five-wicket hauls in six innings.
After playing three games for Australia in the T20I series against India in December including the third match where he took 3-23 to earn player of the match honours, he spent the Vodafone Test series with the Australian team without playing a Test in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series.
He was named in the Australian squad to tour South Africa before that tour was postponed earlier this month.
Swepson said while he was disappointed to miss out on the Bulls remaining Shield and One Day games, he was optimistic of making a complete return to playing.
“I’m obviously extremely disappointed that I can’t be out there playing for Queensland right now but I’m trying to remain positive and will be doing everything that I can to get some games in towards the end of the season.”
