Brisbane Heat captain Jess Jonassen will undergo shoulder surgery in Brisbane on Monday and miss the remainder of the Weber Women’s Big Bash League.
Jonassen, who became the first player to pass the 150 game milestone in the WBBL earlier in the competition, had successfully managed an issue with her AC joint in her right shoulder for several months.
However the issue had worsened over the past few games and the decision was made by Heat medical staff and management to have a right shoulder open excision of the AC joint.
Her recovery period will be approximately three months.
Last night’s abandoned game against the Sydney Sixers at the Adelaide Oval was to be her final game before the operation.
Brisbane Heat CEO Terry Svenson said the club would be fully behind Jonassen in her return to play next year.
“Jess and the team have worked very hard to keep her playing, and her commitment to the team has been unquestioned,’’ he said.
“The medical team has tried to manage her shoulder during the competition to help her keep playing, but it has got to the point where the best scenario is for surgery and give her plenty of time to return to her best ahead of next season.
“While Jess is recovering from her surgery, Charli Knott will captain the side for the remaining three games in the WBBL, and we certainly wish her every success with the team,’’ Svenson said.
Jonassen said she was disappointed to have to miss the final three games of the season for the Heat.
“We had thought I could get through with the care and attention of our physio Jolandi Jacobs and the medical team, but that plan needed to change obviously as we got further into the competition,’’ she said.
"It has certainly been a challenging time personally, especially as it became apparent that it was getting tougher to compete at the level I aspired to be at."
"But I'm very determined to bounce back from this and play some more good cricket once I have fully recovered. It’s encouraging to know that I will have the best possible support back home as I get back to full strength.”
“It hasn’t been the tournament we had hoped for this time, but I have been very proud of the team and they way they have fought hard and competed in each of our games. I’m sure they will finish on a high note," Jonassen said
Knott will take over the captaincy for the first time for tomorrow’s match against the Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval, having previously been vice-captain this season as well as captain of Australia ‘A’ earlier this year.
The Heat have made one change to their squad, with Lily Bassingthwaighte coming into the thirteen in place of Jonassen.
Brisbane lost off the final ball against the Strikers in Tuesday’s match at Karen Rolton Oval, with Adelaide also sharing the points in their abandoned game against the Sydney Thunder at the Adelaide Oval last night.
Weber Women’s Big Bash League
Brisbane Heat v Adelaide Strikers
North Sydney Oval, 11.10am Qld time
Tomorrow
WBBL Heat Squad
88. Charli Knott (c)
22. Lily Bassingthwaighte
7. Lucy Bourke
11. Sianna Ginger
5. Lucy Hamilton
44. Nicola Hancock
17. Grace Harris
48. Chinelle Henry (Int)
32. Nadine de Klerk (Int)
18. Annie O’Neil (LRP)
8. Georgia Redmayne
58. Lauren Winfield-Hill (IRP)
4. Mikayla Wrigley