Tayla Vlaeminck, the unlucky Australian and Melbourne Renegades fast bowler, has been ruled out of the WBBL for the third consecutive season due to a shoulder dislocation suffered during the T20 World Cup.
Vlaeminck, 25, dislocated her bowling shoulder just moments into Australia’s World Cup match against Pakistan, her first at a major tournament since 2018. She was subsequently ruled out of the World Cup, and the Renegades confirmed on Friday that she would play no part in the WBBL, which starts next Sunday.
Vlaeminck’s WBBL absence extends back to November 2021, when she played for the Hobart Hurricanes. She signed with the Renegades ahead of the 2022-23 season but has not played a single game due to a string of injuries.
Vlaeminck has dislocated her left shoulder twice. The first occurred while playing for Victoria in the 2017-18 season. During the Australia A tour of England, which coincided with last year’s Women’s Ashes, she dislocated the same shoulder again while bowling, leading to corrective surgery.
Before her Australian debut in 2018, Vlaeminck had undergone two ACL reconstructions. Stress fractures in her foot also forced her to miss the 2020 home T20 World Cup, the 2022 ODI World Cup, the Commonwealth Games later that year, and the 2023 T20 World Cup. Her foot injuries led her to train with professional dancers at the Australian Ballet as part of her rehabilitation.
Vlaeminck’s latest injury is a significant blow to the Renegades, who were hoping to challenge for the WBBL title this season. The team will now have to rely on other bowlers to fill the void left by Vlaeminck’s absence.
