Brisbane (Australia), January 10: Lancashire’s left-arm spinner Tom Hartley has been ruled out of the England Lions’ tour of Australia after suffering a fractured right hand during a practice session in Brisbane on Thursday. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the injury in a statement on Friday, announcing that Hartley will return to the UK for further medical assessments by the Lancashire medical team.
“Lancashire’s Tom Hartley has been ruled out of the England Lions tour of Australia after sustaining a fractured right hand during practice in Brisbane yesterday,” the ECB’s statement read. “The spinning all-rounder will return to the UK, where he will undergo further assessment by the Lancashire medical teams.”
The ECB has opted not to call up a replacement for Hartley on the tour.
The 25-year-old Hartley had a breakthrough year in 2024, featuring in all five Tests during England’s tour of India, where he impressed with 22 wickets at an average of 36.13. His standout performance came in his Test debut in Hyderabad, where he claimed 7/62 in the second innings, leading his team to a dramatic win.
However, since then, Hartley has found himself lower in the pecking order, with England’s management favoring Shoaib Bashir. Hartley also earned a call-up to England’s T20 World Cup squad, although he did not feature in any matches during the team’s semi-final run.
This latest injury setback is a blow to Hartley’s hopes of earning a spot in England’s Ashes squad for the 2025 series, which begins in October. Hartley had been selected for the Lions tour, alongside Bashir, which includes three red-ball matches and one unofficial Test. The first match of the tour will take place on January 14, against a Cricket Australia Select XI in Brisbane, with former England cricketer Andrew Flintoff serving as head coach of the Lions.