New South Wales seamer Sean Abbott became the first player to be subbed out of a Sheffield Shield match for an injury other than concussion under Cricket Australia's new trial rule after he split the webbing in his right hand while fielding a ball off his own bowling on the opening day against Victoria at the Junction Oval in Melbourne.
Charlie Stobo was subbed in as the first-ever injury replacement player under the new rule that is being trialed across the first five rounds of the 2025-26 Sheffield Shield competition .
Abbott, who is among the contenders to be part of Australia's extended Ashes squad if Pat Cummins is ruled out of the early part of the series, split the webbing in his right hand while stopping a firmly struck straight drive from Victoria batter Peter Handscomb