5 balls that shook the cricketing world

Sean Abbott once again came into spotlight, not because of his wickets, certainly not because of his batting but because of a bouncer which struck the batsman right on the helmet.

This time Australian cricketer Will Pucovski was at the receiving end. The incident happened in a Sheffield shield match between Victoria and New South Wales at Melbourne’s Junction Oval. The incident happened in the 19th over of Victoria’s second innings when Pucovski got hit on his helmet while trying to duck Abbott’s bouncer. Abbott rushed to the aid of Pucovski who was treated for a concussion and withdrawn from the remainder of the match.

This is not a first time when something like this has ever happened. Instances like this have been occurring on and off the field since the birth of cricket. Earlier, such occurrences were common as protective equipment were uncustomary. There have been several instances in the past where the outcomes have been more tragic.

Here’s the list of 5 such incidents in the history of cricket.

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1. Philip J Hughes, 25 (Australia, 2014)

Philip Hughes (1988-2014)

This infamous incident occurred in the second session of the Sheffield Shield match between South Australia and New South Wales at the SCG on November 25, 2014.

The Australian batsman was struck right on the head by a bouncer bowled by Sean Abbott. Although Hughes was wearing a helmet, the ball struck an area just below his left ear. He crumbled before receiving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and was taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney.

Two days later he was pronounced dead due to subarachnoid haemorrhage.

2. Darryn Randall, 32 (South Africa, 2013)

Darryn Randall (1980-2013)

The 32-year-old South African wicket keeper batsman was struck on the temple in an attempt to pull the short pitch delivery. Randall made his first class debut in 2009 and played for Border.

The incident occurred in a league match between Old Selbornians and Fort Hare University in Alice, Eastern Cape on October 27, 2013. He collapsed and was taken to the Alice Hospital where the doctors were not able to save him.

3. Wasim Raja, 54 (Pakistan, 2006)

Wasim Raja (1952-2006)

Wasim Hasan Raja, elder brother of Rameez Raja represented Pakistan during his career and later went on to become an ICC match referee.

In August 2006, while playing for Surrey Over-50s at Marlow in Buckinghamshire, England, Raja suffered a major heart attack on the field. He felt a little shaky and was going off the field but he lost consciousness and fell on the boundary.

Before his death, Raja played 57 tests and 54 ODIs for Pakistan.

4. Raman Lamba, 38 (India, 1998)

Raman Lamba (1960-1998)

This was the first time a cricketer died due to a head injury.

The incident happened in a domestic league match between Abahani Krira Chakra and Mohammedan Sporting Club at the Dhaka Bangabandhu Stadium on February 20, 1998. While fielding at forward short leg, he was hit on the temple (side of the head behind the eyes) by a ball hit by Mehrab Hossain and bowled by Saifullah Khan. Moving to that fielding position, he was asked to wear a helmet but he denied as only 3 balls were remaining in the over.

He was immediately taken to Post Graduate hospital in Dhaka where he suffered an internal hemorrhage and went into a coma 3 days after the incident. He was pronounced dead on February 23, 1998.

5. Ian Folley, 30 (England, 1993)

Ian Folley (1963-1993)

He was a right-handed batsman and a left-arm bowler. Initially, he started his career as a medium pacer but later went on to be a spinner.

The fatal incident occurred in 1993 while batting in a domestic match for Derbyshire against Workington. Trying to play a hook shot, he was hit underneath the eye. He was immediately taken to a local hospital (Cumberland Infirmary) for a minor operation.

Under the influence of anesthesia, Folley suffered a heart attack and was announced dead. His father spent years fighting the hospital to accept negligence. A few years later, the hospital accepted accountability.