Injury rules Issy Wong out of WBBL; Hobart Hurricanes name Hayley Jensen as replacement

England fast bowler Issy Wong has been ruled out of this year's Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) due to an injury. She was set to represent the Hobart Hurricanes. Meanwhile, New Zealand all-rounder Hayley Jensen has been announced as Wong's replacement.

Issy's injury will be a huge blow for the Hurricanes' pace attack. At the same time, it also needs to be noted that Jansen has also played as a replacement player for Hobart during the 2020-21 season of the WBBL. Jensen has gone on to say that she will take this opportunity of representing the Hobart Hurricanes in the upcoming season with both hands.

It's really unfortunate for Issy: Hayley Jensen

"It's really unfortunate for Issy the way this opportunity has come about for me, but I'm definitely going to take it with both hands," Jensen said as quoted by the Hobart Hurricanes.

"It was a really unusual situation we were all in back in 2020 when I last played in the WBBL, but I felt really welcomed by the Hurricanes team and enjoyed my time in purple", she added.

The 20-year-old Wong broke into the England women's team this year and has played eight T20Is and three One Day Internationals. She also made a solitary Test appearance which happened to be against South Africa in June. Wong went on to pick up three wickets in that contest at an economy of 3.68.

The Chelsea-born cricketer went to play in the Commonwealth Games 2022 where England finished fourth after losing the bronze medal match to New Zealand. She then went on to represent the Birmingham Phoenix in the second edition of The Women's Hundred. Issy has been contracted with the Birmingham-based franchise since the inception of the competition in 2021.

This was supposed to be the 20-year-old's second WBBL stint having previously played for the Sydney Thunder. She became the second England player to withdraw from the tournament after a hip surgery forced Heather Knight to pull out.