Redbacks opener understood to have suffered a broken nose and fractured upper jaw in a nasty blow during last week’s Marsh Cup clash against Victoria

South Australia opener Henry Hunt will undergo surgery tomorrow and is expected to miss the remainder of the current summer after sustaining a serious facial injury in a fielding mishap during last week’s Marsh One Day Cup match in Melbourne.

Hunt is understood to have suffered a broken nose and fractured upper jaw that will require wiring, which means he will be restricted to taking meals through a straw for the next four to six weeks.

The 27-year-old, who was joint winner of the Marsh Sheffield Shield Player of the Year for 2021-22, lost his footing when attempting to catch a firmly struck off-drive by Victoria’s Tom Rogers last Thursday and was hit flush in the face.

Bleeding profusely from the nose, Hunt was surrounded by teammates as medical staff raced on to Junction Oval to render assistance before the South Australian was able to walk unaided from the field and was taken to hospital for scans.

“He’s seeing a specialist today and my understanding is he’s going to have a procedure on Thursday,” SA coach Jason Gillespie said today.

“He’s in good spirits, obviously in a little bit of pain, a bit sore and a bit uncomfortable but hopefully he’ll be fine.

“He’ll struggle to be available for the rest of the season, unfortunately for him and for us, but his health is the absolute priority so we’ll make sure we get around and support him as well as we can.”

With Hunt sidelined and his white-ball opening partner Jake Fraser-McGurk elevated to Australia’s squad for the final Dettol T20 International against West Indies at Perth later today, SA will take a significantly re-shaped outfit into tomorrow’s Marsh One Day Cup fixture against Queensland.

South Australia Marsh Cup squad v Queensland: Jordan Buckingham, Alex Carey, Harry Conway, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Josh Kann, Thomas Kelly, Jake Lehmann, Ben Manenti, Nathan McAndrew, Nathan McSweeney (c), Harry Nielsen (wk), Lloyd Pope, Henry Thornton, Jake Winter

Test keeper Alex Carey will open the innings at Karen Rolton Oval tomorrow before he heads to New Zealand later in the month for Australia’s two-match series against the Black Caps, but his partner at the top of the innings won’t be known until later today.

Should Fraser-McGurk not be included in Australia’s T20 starting XI at Perth Stadium this evening, he will immediately fly back to Adelaide to take his place in tomorrow’s Marsh One Day Cup game.

But if, as anticipated, he makes his 20-over international debut SA will need to look elsewhere for Carey’s opening partner.

Top-order batter Daniel Drew (personal reasons) and allrounder Liam Scott (ankle) are also unavailable for tomorrow’s game as well as the subsequent Marsh Sheffield Shield match against Queensland starting at Adelaide Oval on Friday.

Like Fraser-McGurk, SA fast bowler Wes Agar was added to Australia’s T20 squad for the final men’s international match of the summer but he was not in the mix for tomorrow’s one-day cup outing and was instead being prepared for the ensuing bottom-of-the-ladder Shield clash.

Fellow quick Spencer Johnson was also in line for a recall to the SA ranks this week for his first Shield match of the summer against Queensland before he was added to the national T20 squad when Sean Abott sustained a shoulder injury.

But with Johnson expected to play in this evening’s game against West Indies after an impressive outing at Adelaide Oval last Sunday, Redbacks selectors will wait until tomorrow to finalise their Shield team.

It is understood SA may include 22-year-old rookie-listed batter Kyle Brazell, named player of the tournament at the 2017 Australia under-17 male championships, for a debut Shield appearance in a bid to find more runs from a habitually faltering top-order.

Carey will bat at number four in the Shield game as well as keep wicket, with in-form auxiliary gloveman Harry Nielsen to retain his place against Queenslander and play as a specialist batter in the red-ball match while taking the gloves in the one-day format.

Hard-hitting top-order batter Josh Kann, who was added to Adelaide Strikers BBL squad, has also been named in the 14 for tomorrow’s game and could be in line for his senior SA debut.

In Hunt’s absence, Gillespie may also look to deploy the explosive Fraser-McGurk – who posted his maiden first-class hundred against Victoria earlier this season, as well as a record-breaking 29-ball one-day ton against Tasmania – against the new ball in the four-day format.

‘We just click’: Fraser-McGurk on tight bond with batting coach
“It’s a big deal to be called up to play for your country and he’s shown some signs he’s a player of the future,” Gillespie said of Fraser-McGurk who began his breakthrough summer playing for SA’s second XI having relocated from Melbourne.

“He’s a young player, and let’s remember he’s 21 – he’s very early in his journey.

“We just need to make sure we’re calming the farm, and just allow him to learn and develop.

“He’s going to make some mistakes as all players do, but if he learns and develops and can string some performances together then there will be some more opportunities further down the line I’m sure.”