The expected sidelining of James Faulkner for at least the start of the World Cup will increase the importance of Shane Watson overcoming his hamstring worries and returning to peak bowling capability by the start of the tournament.
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All-rounder Faulkner grimaced in his delivery stride in his third over on Sunday at the WACA Ground - in the tri-series final against England - and then immediately left the field.
Cricket Australia is yet to provide an update on the injury beyond its initial explanation that Faulkner took no further part in the match because of soreness to his ribs and side. The 24-year-old underwent scans on Monday afternoon, with results of those expected as early as Tuesday morning.
After the match, in which Australia easily beat England, fellow all-rounder Glenn Maxwell said Faulkner was "pretty down at the moment" due to the possible injury blow so close to a home World Cup.
"The thought for any of us being ruled out so late with an injury ... even if it is [later confirmed as] nothing, just the thought of that would hurt a lot of people. I know a few of us were out there hurting for him," Maxwell said.
Over the past 2½ seasons in Australia there have been at least 12 instances of players suffering either a rib injury or a side strain. Of those there have been only four occasions in which a player has returned within a month.
Australia's first match is against England at the MCG on February 14 and their second is a week later against Bangladesh. If Faulkner did not recover within a month he would also miss the pivotal match away to New Zealand on February 28.
The most recent case of an Australian-contracted paceman suffering a rib injury or side strain came when Mitch Johnson was hurt during the one-day tri-series in Zimbabwe. He missed the Champions League because of that and resumed against Pakistan on October 7, 31 days after he last played.
Last summer Sean Abbott missed most of the Big Bash League after being sidelined for about seven weeks with a side strain, while Ben Hilfenhaus missed a month with the same affliction.
In the preceding season Australia lost two bowlers to rib or side injuries during the home Tests - James Pattinson and Hilfenhaus. They were sidelined for 50 days and 52 days respectively.
Watson has not played since pulling up sore in his right hamstring while bowling in training on January 22.
Australia's players will return home for most of the week before formally assembling for the tournament on Friday in Adelaide, ahead of their first warm-up match on Sunday against India.
While Australia is again able to call on Mitch Marsh with the ball following his recovery from a hamstring injury that sidelined him from the second half of the Test series against India, he is not as reliable with the ball as Faulkner, increasing the importance of Watson returning to bowling in the warm-up matches against India and United Arab Emirates. The latter will be held on February 11 at the MCG.
With aap
RECENT SIDE/RIB INJURIES FOR AUSTRALIAN FAST BOWLERS
Nov 23, 2012: James Pattinson, side/rib injury during 2nd Test v South Africa. Returned Jan 12. Duration: 50 days.
Dec 16, 2012: Ben Hilfenhaus, side strain during 1st Test v Sri Lanka. Returned Feb 6. Duration: 52 days.
Dec 20, 2012: Timm van der Gugten, side strain ruled out of BBL for Hobart. Returned Feb 11. Duration: 53 days.
Feb 20, 2013: Chadd Sayers, side strain in Sheffield Shield for South Australia. Returned Mar 3. Duration: 11 days.
Oct 3, 2013: Daniel Worrall, side strain for South Australia. Returned Nov 18. Duration: 46 days.
Nov 30, 2013: Ben Hilfenhaus, side strain during Sheffield Shield for Tasmania. Returned Dec 28. Duration: 28 days.
Dec 15, 2013: Sean Abbott, side strain before BBL for Sydney Sixers. Returned Jan 25. Duration: 41 days.
Dec 24, 2013: Nick Buchanan, side strain ruled out of BBL for Brisbane. Returned Mar 20. Duration: 86 days.
Feb 18, 2014: Daniel Worrall, side strain during Sheffield Shield for SA. Returned Mar 11. Duration: 21 days.
Jul 20, 2014: Josh Hazlewood, side strain during Australia A one-day quad-series in Darwin. Returned Oct 4. Duration: 76 days*.
Sep 6, 2014: Mitch Johnson, rib injury during one-day tri-series in Zimbabwe. Returned Oct 7. Duration: 31 days.
Oct 2, 2014: Joe Mennie, side strain during Champions League for Hobart. Returned Oct 15. Duration: 13 days.
* Out of season
