Tongue ruled out of Australia tour as Archer, Rashid impress in warm-up win

Josh Tongue has been ruled out of England’s white-ball tour of Australia due to a toe injury, forcing him to return to the UK for further assessment on his left foot. The fast bowler missed England’s 92-run warm-up victory over Western Australia in Perth on Saturday, marking a significant setback for the touring squad ahead of the upcoming series.

Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid delivered impressive performances in their return to the fold during the win in Perth. Archer, who was rested for the ODI tri-series in Pakistan, claimed 3-34 from his eight overs, while Rashid, overlooked for most of that tour in favour of Liam Dawson, took 4-35 from 7.3 overs.

Western Australia were bowled out for 159, having been set a target of 252 to win. Ben Duckett continued his fine form with the bat, building on his back-to-back tri-series tons by top-scoring with 59 in an otherwise disappointing batting display by Harry Brook’s side, who won the toss.

Brook (27) was among several top-order batters who started well but failed to convert into big scores. The wicket of Sam Curran (12) in the 29th over left the tourists in a difficult position at 150-6, threatening their competitive total.

Lower-order runs from Will Jacks (34) and Dawson (44no) helped lift England beyond 200, securing a competitive score. Dawson was left stranded as the team was ultimately bowled out for 251 in 48 overs, with Brody Couch claiming 4-47 and Lance Morris taking 3-29.

In reply, Western Australia never looked likely to chase down England’s target. Corey Wasley top-scored with 41, while Cameron Bancroft made 32, a day after Usman Khawaja revealed that the entire Australian team knew about the ball-tampering scandal in Cape Town in 2018.

Fit-again Jacob Bethell was not selected for England’s warm-up match as he continues his return from the knee injury that has kept him sidelined since July. His absence highlights the ongoing recovery process for the all-rounder following a prolonged period out of action.

England face Australia in the first of three ODIs on Friday, with five T20Is to follow in the series. The ODIs are scheduled for 3.30am UK time, while the T20 matches will begin at 8.15am UK time, offering fans multiple opportunities to watch the action.

The tour represents a crucial phase for England’s white-ball squad as they prepare for the upcoming international fixtures. The combination of Archer’s pace and Rashid’s spin proved decisive in the warm-up, setting a positive tone for the main series against the hosts.