Abbott first to be subbed out under new Sheffield Shield injury rule

Cliff Notes – Abbott first to be subbed out under new Sheffield Shield injury rule

• Sean Abbott became the first player substituted out of a Sheffield Shield match for an injury other than concussion, splitting the webbing in his right hand while fielding.
• Charlie Stobo was brought in as the first-ever injury replacement player under the trial rule, which aims to gather feedback for potential ICC implementation in Test cricket.
• Abbott must undergo a mandatory 12-day non-playing period, impacting his availability for upcoming matches, including Australia’s T20I against India.

Abbott first to be subbed out under new Sheffield Shield injury rule

New South Wales seamer Sean Abbott became the first player to be subbed out of a Sheffield Shield match for an injury other than concussion under cricket Australia’s new trial rule after he split the webbing in his right hand while fielding a ball off his own bowling on the opening day against Victoria at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.

Charlie Stobo was subbed in as the first-ever injury replacement player under the new rule that is being trialed across the first five rounds of the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield competition.

Abbott, who is among the contenders to be part of Australia’s extended Ashes squad if Pat Cummins is ruled out of the early part of the series, split the webbing in his right hand while stopping a firmly struck straight drive from Victoria batter Peter Handscomb in the 43rd over of the opening day.

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Abbott left the ground immediately, and team-mate Ryan Hadley completed the over. After being assessed in the rooms, New South Wales made an application to the match referee to have Abbott replaced by another bowler and that request was immediately granted.

As part of the new rule, Victoria also now have the opportunity to make a tactical substitution of one bowler for another if they feel they need to but can only do so before stumps on day two of the match. It is unlikely Victoria would make any such decision on day one given they have yet to bowl in the match but they do have seamer David Moody in their squad available to replace any of their seamers if needed.

The rule is being trialed with a view to providing feedback to the ICC with suggestions that an injury sub rule could be introduced to Test cricket in the near future.

The injury to Abbott is untimely. He had missed out on Australia’s ODI squad to face India in part to give him the chance to play a rare first-class game to press his Ashes case before being part of Australia’s T20I squad.

As part of the injury substitution rule, Abbott has to undergo a mandatory 12-day non-playing period from the start of day three of the match he was subbed out of, which is October 17, before being allowed to play again. It means he would still be available for Australia’s first T20I against India in Canberra on October 29 provided his hand has recovered in time. But if he was not in the T20I squad he would not have been eligible to play in New South Wales’ next Shield game against Queensland which starts at the Gabba on October 28.

Abbott had bowled very impressively in the first session on day one at the Junction Oval in seam-friendly conditions. He picked up the wicket of Victoria opener Harry Dixon caught behind. He also ruffled Handscomb with some hostile short balls with one gloved over the keeper and another glancing off his shoulder and helmet.