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Bancroft, Sams leaving hospital after horror BBL clash

3 minute read

Cameron Bancroft's Sydney Thunder BBL season is over with a broken shoulder and nose, while Daniel Sams will miss at least four games following their collision.

CAMERON BANCROFT.
CAMERON BANCROFT. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Cameron Bancroft and Daniel Sams will be discharged from a Perth hospital after both were injured in a sickening collision that ended Bancroft's BBL season.

Bancroft suffered a broken nose and fractured shoulderblade running into Sydney Thunder teammate Sams during the last-ball win against the Perth Scorchers on Friday night.

Both men were also concussed, so will miss 12 days through Cricket Australia protocols, but Thunder general manager Trent Copeland said results of their CT scans looked "largely pretty clear" on Saturday.

"The good news is that both players are going to be discharged from the hospital today," Copeland said on Saturday afternoon.

They will spend at least another night in Western Australia, unable to fly to Brisbane with the rest of their teammates for Monday's match against the Heat.

Copeland was unsure whether Bancroft would return to fitness in time for the end of Western Australia's Sheffield Shield season.

The opening batter began the summer vying for Test selection and would have been relying on a big end to the campaign to reassert his credentials for the tour of the West Indies this winter.

"If he's got a fractured nose and shoulder, it's going to be a recovery process," Copeland said.

"I don't want to put a time frame there, I don't have one. But I know he'll be in good hands."

Sams will miss at least four games but the Thunder are hopeful he could return to the field for the clash against Sydney Sixers on January 17.

But Copeland conceded the allrounder may have played his final game of the tournament.

"There's obviously a chance," he said.

"We need to prioritise his health right here, right now and there's no rush for him to be flying back, expecting to hit balls, anything like that from us."

The win lifted the Thunder to second on the BBL ladder with a game in hand, after winning only one game last season.

The side is already decimated by injuries to Nic Maddinson, Nathan McAndrew, Tanveer Sangha, Will Salzmann and Jason Sangha.

They are having to contend with Sam Konstas' absence through Test duty, which could extend into the finals if the young opener is picked for the tour of Sri Lanka. 

Overseas players Sherfane Rutherford and Lockie Ferguson are expected to leave the tournament early, with the Thunder set to explore the possibility of bringing replacements in for Sams and Bancroft.

"We're up to replacement number 10 and 11 at the moment from our squad that was named prior to the tournament starting," Copeland said.

"I've literally lodged six replacement requirements in the last 24 hours, inclusive of overseas players departing for other leagues. So fair to say there's a bit on."

The horrors of the clash came as another remarkable story emerged, with Oliver Davies rushing from the hotel to act as a concussion sub after initially missing the game with a virus.

Still feeling unwell, Davies scored three off eight balls but the Thunder went on to chase down Perth's 4-177 from the final ball of the match.

After the game, the playing squad stayed awake to keep Sams and Bancroft company.

Members of the Thunder's team staff have since committed to remaining behind in Perth to be by their side. 

"In my time as the GM of the club, I've never been more proud of what we witnessed the last 12 hours," Copeland said.

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