Golf buggy crash rules Maxwell out of England clash

AHMEDABAD: Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell will miss the Cricket World Cup clash with old rivals England after falling off a golf buggy and suffering concussion, media reports said on Wednesday.

The 35-year-old came off the back of the buggy in the dark after playing a round on Monday as players took a break between matches at the marathon tournament.

As well as concussion, Maxwell picked up significant bruising, said cricket.com.au, the digital arm of Cricket Australia. It is the second freak accident to befall Maxwell in the last 12 months after he broke his leg at a friend´s birthday party in November 2022.

Maxwell blasted his way into the record books at the World Cup last week when he hit the fastest hundred in tournament history off just 40 balls in a 309-run demolition of the Netherlands in New Delhi.

Although Maxwell will sit out Saturday´s game against England at the world´s biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad, he is expected to return for the later stages of the tournament.

“In transporting him back from the clubhouse to the team bus, Glenn came off the back of a cart and has suffered a small concussion, so he will go into concussion protocols for the next period of time and will unfortunately miss the England game,” coach Andrew McDonald said.

“The guys were ferried off on carts. Glenn and a few other players jumped on the back of carts and unfortunately he lost his grip on the way back to the team bus and sustained that injury. After facing defending champions England, the Australians will tackle Afghanistan at Mumbai on November 7 and conclude their group campaign in Pune against Bangladesh on November 11.