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Backyard Cricket: Common Injuries (with tongue firmly in cheek)

Published: 02 Dec 2022

As the temperature rises and we approach summer, it’s time to get ready for Australia’s favourite summer past time. Backyard Cricket!  Backyard Cricket makes an appearance at every summer BBQ and it’s wise to be up to date on the latest literature in dealing with backyard cricket injuries.

Common injuries to avoid when playing backyard cricket include:

• While going for a one hand one bounce catch, diving forward and grazing your elbow, smashing your funny bone and of course missing the catch and eating a face full of dirt. How to avoid, don’t over extend on catches that you can’t take.  You aren’t Ricky Ponting, or maybe you are make sure you have the speed and agility to take those screamers otherwise you’re just going to end up embarrassing yourself.

The wheelie bin – is there a more perfect wicket?

• 6 and Out! This would have to be the most common form of dismissal in backyard cricket, the injury threat posed here exists while trying to jump the neighbour’s fence to retrieve the ball. Things to take note of, do you have enough strength in your arms and legs to get over the fence? More importantly to get back, this has to be the biggest mistake, jumping the fence and realising your so out of shape you’ve got nothing in the arms to get back over. Perhaps try knocking on the front door or getting a new ball?

Where is that ball?

• Getting smashed in the face with a tennis ball while fielding at short leg. There’s always one hero who feels the need to field at short leg because they’re “an absolute gun” and tells you that story of that amazing catch they took one time when they used to play grade. This usually ends up with either a bat to the head, a ball to the ribs or a combination of both. I have no advice for this type of fielder, any injuries sustained are on them!

With that being said it’s never a bad time for a bit of backyard cricket. So with summer and Christmas fast approaching get out the garbage bin, old bat and tennis ball and have some fun!

Cheers

Jude Holroyd is the Principal in our Jordan Springs practice, and is a keen cricketer.