New Delhi: Australia A fast bowler, Henry Thornton was hospitalised in Kanpur after suffering from a severer stomach infection, believed to be caused by food poisoning during the ongoing one-day series against Indian A. According to reports, the 27-year-old pacer fell ill shortly after a team dinner at the hotel and was rushed to Regency Hospital for treatment.
As confirmed by team sources, Thornton initially complained of abdominal pain and nausea, prompting medical staff to keep him under observation. When his condition worsened, he was admitted to the hospital, where senior doctors monitored him closely for two days. The Australian management later confirmed that the pacer had shown signs of recovery and was discharged after responding well to treatment.
Interestingly, it was revealed that Thornton had been experiencing mild gastro symptoms even before reaching Kanpur. However, his condition deteriorated after the team’s arrival likely aggravated by something he ate at the hotel.
In response to the incident, the Australian team management revised its dietary plan introducing stricter food and hydration protocols for players. The sources said that the team will now rely on special prepared meals under supervision to avoid further health issues during the series. Three other Australian players also reported similar stomach-related discomfort but were treated by team doctors and did not require hospitalisation.
The episode came as an unexpected blow to the visitors, who are in India for a three-match unofficial ODI series. The timing was particularly concerning, given that the second game took place just a day after Thornton got hospitalised.
Australia A bounce to level series
Despite the off-field setback, Australia A delivered a strong performance to level the series 1-1 with a nine-wicket win in the rain-hit second match at Green Park Stadium. After India A posted 246 in 45.5 overs, rain interrupted play, and the revised target of 160 off 25 overs was decided under the DLS method.
Jake Fraser-McGurk (36 off 20) gave Australia A a flying start before Mackenzie Harvey (70* off 49) and Cooper Connolly (50* off 31) cruised to victory with an unbroken 103-run stand. The visitors chased down the target in just 16.4 overs, sealing a convincing win.
For India A, Tilak Verma impressed once again with a fluent 94 while Riyan Parag contributed 58. However, early wickets and a middle-order collapse left them short of a big total. With the series now level both sides will face off in the decider on Sunday in Kanpur.