MELBOURNE, Jan 8: West Indies all-rounder Marlon Samuels, awaiting punishment for his involvement in a bat and ball throwing incident with spinner Shane Warne, will miss the remainder of Australia's domestic Twenty20 competition through injury.

The Melbourne Renegades player has a suspected fracture of the eye socket suffered on Sunday when he top-edged a bouncer from Melbourne Stars' Lasith Malinga into his face.

He will be replaced by England regular T20 opener Alex Hales, Big Bash organisers said on Tuesday.

The Renegades beat Warne's Melbourne Stars to guarantee a home semi-final but the match will be remembered for the heated argument between the former Australian spinner and Samuels.

Hales, 24, will join the Renegades for this week's last group stage match in the domestic Big Bash League as well as the finals series.

“It's extremely disappointing to lose Marlon in these circumstances and we wish him all the best for a speedy recovery,” said Renegades coach Simon Helmot.

“The team is now focusing on our Sydney road trip and Alex will be a big part of that as we continue preparations for the business end of the season,” he added.

Hales has an average of 34.83 with a strike rate of 127.43 for England in Twenty20 Internationals, posting scores of 56 and 42 in his most recent games against India last month.

Warne was banned for one game and fined A$4,500 ($4,700) after being found guilty of three offences, including showing dissent to the umpire, engaging in physical contact with other players and using offensive language.

Samuels, who threw his bat in the direction of Warne after the Stars' captain hit him with the ball when throwing it to the wicket-keeper, was charged with two offences with his case yet to be heard because of his injury.—Agencies