Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Shocking news, fingers crossed. With all the protection, you take it for granted these days that batsmen will suffer no more than a headache after being sconed, but this is a reminder of the dangers of the short ball, something which modern players tend to be blasé about.
I never thought of cricket as a sport where your life would be at risk - though with a ball flying at you at 90mph I suppose it isn't exactly a walk in the park.
This is shocking. Genuinely quite upset by this. The video isn't a nice watch either. A very good and effective batsman on his day. Here's hoping he makes a full recovery.
From memory, Harmison and Flintoff used to give him loads of problems with the short ball and always got on top of him. It seemed to be his nemesis.
God willing he pulls through. Sickening incident. Brings back bad memories for me when I fractured my cheekbone while keeping behind the stumps back in my teens. Cricket is a bloody dangerous game.
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
I'm sure he'll soon put it to the back of his mind, where it normally stays for most cricketers. At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
The new playing for my uni I was about a metre away from a mate when he was hit in the face by a straight drive when bowling in the nets... he's since had to have reconstruction surgery on his face..
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
I'm sure he'll soon put it to the back of his mind, where it normally stays for most cricketers. At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
You are he will hopefully. I did, however, deliberately show him last year this footage from the incident that ended David Fulton's career as a lesson that you have to concentrate at all times - most of all in the nets.
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
I'm sure he'll soon put it to the back of his mind, where it normally stays for most cricketers. At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
You are he will hopefully. I did, however, deliberately show him last year this footage from the incident that ended David Fulton's career as a lesson that you have to concentrate at all times - most of all in the nets.
Addick addict - am sure your boy will be fine and probably forgotten about this incident next time he plays.
Does he have winter nets ?
Yes he does - plenty of them including 1-2-1s. He was in the Kent U11 team last year and is trailing again next week for the winter U12 squad. He played as a batsman/leg spin bowler but will now also trial as a keeper too. Following JohnboyUK's story and the Boucher incident I'm not so sure that's a good idea!
He has faced up to 75 mph against the bowling machine but only half volleys on and outside off stump. He pulls very well (just like his Dad in his youth but that's completely another story) but wouldn't want him at this stage practicing against short stuff at faster than about 60.
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
I'm sure he'll soon put it to the back of his mind, where it normally stays for most cricketers. At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
You are he will hopefully. I did, however, deliberately show him last year this footage from the incident that ended David Fulton's career as a lesson that you have to concentrate at all times - most of all in the nets.
forgot about fulton, very lucky bloke to keep his eye, let alone his eyesight in that eye. Went to school with the academy player in the next net, said it was "fucking scary" - his own words.
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
I'm sure he'll soon put it to the back of his mind, where it normally stays for most cricketers. At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
You are he will hopefully. I did, however, deliberately show him last year this footage from the incident that ended David Fulton's career as a lesson that you have to concentrate at all times - most of all in the nets.
Terrible - hope to God he pulls through. It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
Yep, probably unlike you as I only ever played 3rd team cricket, I have never faced anything above 75 mph but did play against Graham Dilley when we were both 16 and also, as you and Riviera witnessed, once made the mistake of trying to "charge" (without a helmet) at that time the Blackheath first team opening bowling who, whilst not bowling at full pelt, was quick enough to do my damage.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
I'm sure he'll soon put it to the back of his mind, where it normally stays for most cricketers. At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
You are he will hopefully. I did, however, deliberately show him last year this footage from the incident that ended David Fulton's career as a lesson that you have to concentrate at all times - most of all in the nets.
Agree about the concentration but this incident was the person feeding the machine's fault right?
Absolutely. The feeder is meant to hold the ball above his head and only drop it into the machine once the batsman acknowledges he's ready. He's probably seen Fulton take his guard and gone through the motions of what he should do without actually recognising that Fulton's head is facing the deck for a lot longer than normal or waiting for fulton to say he's ready to receive the ball.
As a batsman you still need to be aware of what's going on at the other end though just in case.
Unfortunately this sort of accident was almost inevitable. Far too many modern batsmen take their eye off the ball when avoiding a bouncer, assuming their helmet will protect them.
Unfortunately this sort of accident was almost inevitable. Far too many modern batsmen take their eye off the ball when avoiding a bouncer, assuming their helmet will protect them.
Hope he recovers quickly and successfully.
this .. modern pitches and balls are bouncier than of yore, bowlers more aggressive and keener to hit the batsman, batsmen leave 'avoidance' until the last possible split second
Unfortunately this sort of accident was almost inevitable. Far too many modern batsmen take their eye off the ball when avoiding a bouncer, assuming their helmet will protect them.
Hope he recovers quickly and successfully.
this .. modern pitches and balls are bouncier than of yore, bowlers more aggressive and keener to hit the batsman, batsmen leave 'avoidance' until the last possible split second
Indeed but the other aspect is that, in the old days, there was very little protection and certainly no helmets so batsmen had to watch the ball all the way. Nowadays some players think that they can rely on the protection rather than trusting their own ability to swerve out of the way and consequently actually invite getting hit.
I am not sure that bowlers are any more aggressive now, than they were in the 70's and 80's. Have a look at Lillee and Thomson literally battering England in 1974, or ask any of the English batsmen from the 1984&85 'Blackwashes' if they felt that Marshall, Holding, Garner, Walsh and Patterson 'lacked aggression' - I think that they would disagree.
All in all just a terrible accident, and a very rare one. In fact other than Stuart Broad last year against India, I cannot recall the last time that a test batsmen was seriously injured by the short ball.
Certainly the level of fast bowling around the world is nowhere near where it was in the 90's, when as an England batsmen you had the joy of facing McGrath/Lee/Gillespie, Pollock/Donald/Ntini, Wasim/Waqar/Shoaib, Ambrose/Walsh/Bishop.
All we had to fire back with was Phil DeFreitas and Chris Lewis, no wondered we always got battered.
Comments
Good luck Phil
It's always required a degree of physical courage to put yourself out there in cricket, as those who have played the game will appreciate.
I never thought of cricket as a sport where your life would be at risk - though with a ball flying at you at 90mph I suppose it isn't exactly a walk in the park.
Frightening incident.
God willing he pulls through. Sickening incident. Brings back bad memories for me when I fractured my cheekbone while keeping behind the stumps back in my teens. Cricket is a bloody dangerous game.
Have also seen 90 mph from a bowling machine and the thing that remains in my mind is the deafening thud against the back wall - and thinking what little reaction time these guys have.
Also spent my time this morning convincing my youngest son that this is a freak accident and that he needs to trust his own ability. Not sure it worked though!
At least he wasn't born in the same era as that speed merchant of the 80s from Blackheath CC. Slim, dark haired chap. I wonder what happened to him....
Thoughts are with him that he pulls through, very good batsman.
youtube.com/watch?v=ESFmhcGGxHU
Does he have winter nets ?
He has faced up to 75 mph against the bowling machine but only half volleys on and outside off stump. He pulls very well (just like his Dad in his youth but that's completely another story) but wouldn't want him at this stage practicing against short stuff at faster than about 60.
As a batsman you still need to be aware of what's going on at the other end though just in case.
Hope he recovers quickly and successfully.
Best wishes to him - sounds like a decent fella.
I also find the retraction crass, "Any distress we may have caused" there is no flippin may about it!
All in all just a terrible accident, and a very rare one. In fact other than Stuart Broad last year against India, I cannot recall the last time that a test batsmen was seriously injured by the short ball.
Certainly the level of fast bowling around the world is nowhere near where it was in the 90's, when as an England batsmen you had the joy of facing McGrath/Lee/Gillespie, Pollock/Donald/Ntini, Wasim/Waqar/Shoaib, Ambrose/Walsh/Bishop.
All we had to fire back with was Phil DeFreitas and Chris Lewis, no wondered we always got battered.