REVIEW ARTICLE Sports Med 1999 Oct; 28 (4): 263-272

0112-1642/99/0010-0263/$05.00/0

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Measures to Prevent Cricket Injuries

An Overview
Caroline F. Finch,1 Bruce C. Elliott2 and Alicia C. McGrath3
1 School of Human Health Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
2 Department of Human Movement and Exercise Science, The University of Western Australia,
Perth, Western Australia, Australia
3 Monash University Accident Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Contents
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 263
1. Overview of General Cricket Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264
2. Overuse Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
2.1 Overuse Injuries in Fast Bowlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
2.2 Overuse Injuries in Other Players . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
3. Impact Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
4. Measures to Prevent Cricket Injuries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
5. Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 270

Abstract Cricket is a major international sport, generally played in British Common-

wealth nations. Although strictly a non-contact sport, injuries in cricket can result
in a number of ways. In high level cricket, overuse injuries are common and
related to the physical demands of the sport, particularly in the delivery of the
ball. The bowling action involves repetitive twisting, extension and rotation of
the trunk at the same time as absorption of large ground reaction forces over a
short period of time. These movements, if performed incorrectly or too frequently,
can lead to overuse injuries of the back, particularly in elite and high level cricketers.
Cross-sectional studies have demonstrated that spinal overuse injuries occur more
frequently to cricketers adopting a mixed bowling action than to those who favour
a front- or side-on bowling technique. Strategies to ensure that cricketers do not
adopt the mixed action or bowl too fast for extended periods can prevent these
back injuries. Injuries resulting from impacts, generally from the cricket ball, can
also occur and are more common during low level competition or informal par-
ticipation. Because of the potential severity of these impacts, a range of protective
equipment ranging from body padding to gloves and face protectors are now
common features of standard cricket equipment. Although a number of measures
to prevent cricket injuries have been widely suggested in the literature, there have
been very few studies that have formally assessed their effectiveness in prevent-
ing injury. Further research is needed to gain a greater understanding of the
biomechanics of cricket actions, the mechanisms of resultant injuries and the role
of various risk factors in injury causation.
264
Cricket injuries have been documented as far
back as 1751, when the Prince of Wales was killed
by a cricket ball striking him in the head.[1] The
pace of the game, hazards of play and expectations
of the players have all increased over time. Although
strictly a non-contact sport, cricket injuries can re-
sult in a number of ways. Impact injuries can result
from a direct blow by a ball or bat, or as a result of
a collision between players or with the game sur-
rounds. Protective equipment and game rules have
largely developed to prevent these injuries. At the
more competitive level, overuse injuries are com-
mon and attention to technique and pre-participation
screening are important countermeasures. Other
countermeasures, such as warm-up, footwear and
adequate treatment and rehabilitation for injuries
have more general relevance.
As a sport generally played in British Common-
wealth nations, the amount of literature published
on the epidemiology, mechanisms and prevention
of cricket injuries is limited, particularly at the non-
elite levels of play. Much of the available literature
focuses on back injuries in high level cricket, with
very little describing cricket injuries in general.
Such injuries, whether overuse or impact in nature,
are generally the result of an accumulation of a set
of circumstances and pre-existing conditions that
may best be understood as a chain of events: pre-
event, event and post-event.[2] Injury countermea-
sures are measures that can ‘counter’, that is pre-
vent or reduce, the risk of injury. Countermeasures
should be targeted at the different links in the chain
of events leading to injury, and there is a range of
countermeasures available to prevent these inju-
ries. Table I lists countermeasures for preventing
cricket injuries and illustrates how these relate to
the various stages of prevention.
Countermeasures for cricket may either be spe-
cific to the sport (e.g. improved skills and tech-
niques to prevent overuse injuries and protective
equipment to prevent impact injuries) or more ge-
neric (e.g. physical preparation, environmental con-
ditions, modified rules, education, coaching, first
aid and appropriate rehabilitation to reduce recur-
rence of an injury).
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Finch et al.
Unlike other literature describing cricket inju-
ries,[3-8] this review does not specifically focus on
the epidemiology of cricket injuries, nor does it
provide a detailed description of their aetiology.
Instead, a critical review of the range of counter-
measures promoted to prevent such injuries is de-
scribed. These are presented in terms of how they
relate to overuse injuries, impact injuries and other
general injury occurrences during cricket. This pa-
per also provides an evaluation of the extent to which
these countermeasures have been demonstrated to
be effective. A brief overview of the epidemiology
of cricket injuries, however, is given to set the scene
for the subsequent discussion.
The sources of information used to compile this
review were: a Medline and Sport discus CD-ROM
search for published literature (over the past 15
years), injury conference proceedings, and discus-
sions with key Australian cricket injury researchers
and Australian cricket organisations.
1. Overview of General Cricket Injuries
Despite the historical recognition of injury and
possible death resulting from cricket, very few stud-
ies have documented the incidence and nature of
general cricket injuries to populations of non-elite
players. Table II summarises the published studies
describing cricket injuries to broad-based samples
of players and presents details of the body regions
most commonly injured.
The incidence of cricket injuries has been re-
ported to be 2.6 injuries per 10 000 hours played in
a British Sports Council survey.[11] The average risk
of a fatality whilst participating in cricket has been
estimated at 2 for every 100 million adult partici-
pants in the UK.[12] Cricket also ranked fifth high-
est in terms of non-fatal accident rates, with 40
injuries occurring for every 100 000 hours of par-
ticipation.[12]
South African studies have reported seasonal in-
cidence injury rates of 49% for both National
Cricket Club players and schoolboy cricketers.[9]
Bowlers were reported to have more injuries than
other players. In particular, these players sustained
a higher proportion of lower limb (22%) and back
Sports Med 1999 Oct; 28 (4)
Preventing Cricket Injuries 265

Table I. Countermeasures for preventing cricket injuries

Primary (pre-event) Secondary (event) Tertiary (Post-event)
Adequate water intake Environment Availability of first aid equipment
Attention to biomechanics Footwear Prompt first aid
Coach education Protective equipment Rehabilitation
Footwear Helmets Rest, ice, compression, elevation, referral
Modified rules Padding
Nutrition Gloves
Orthotics Boxes
Playing environment Visors
Pre-participation screening Mouthguards
Pre-season conditioning Surface
Technique
Training
UV protection
Warm-up

injuries (17%) than other players. Research by El-
liott et al.[13] highlighted the severity of the bony
and tissue injuries to the lumbar vertebrae of fast
bowlers. Stretch[9] attributed this to the forces ap-
parent in the delivery stride and bowling actions
used by the bowlers.
According to Stretch,[9] upper limb injuries are
most frequent in fielders (26%), with a possible
explanation being the forces involved about the
joints of the upper limb in excessive throwing over
a large distance. Temple[14] found that upper limb
injuries accounted for 25% of both schoolboy and
club cricket injuries. Furthermore, Stretch[7,9]
identified that 32 to 34% of provincial and club
cricketers sustained some form of upper limb in-
jury. Amongst schoolboy cricketers, the seasonal
injury incidence rate in bowlers (47%) was greater
than that in batsmen (30%) and fielders (23%).[9]
When batting, injuries caused by impact consisted
primarily of fractures, dislocations and contusions
of the fingers.[7,9,15,16] Corrigan[17] identified that
injuries sustained while batting also occurred to the
forearm/hand and other soft tissue structures (par-
ticularly the upper leg), as well as resulting in frac-
tures to the ribs.
Amongst adults (> 15 years) who presented to
emergency departments in Australia for treatment
of a sports injury, cricket accounted for 7.3% of all
cases, ranking it as the fifth highest source of sports-
related emergency department presentations.[10] The
injuries were predominantly sprains/strains (26%),
fractures (21%) and bruising (20%). However,
Ball[12] found that cricket ranked third for sports
injury presentations to an accident and emergency
department, with 130 attendances for every 100
000 adults participating in cricket. In a study of
sports injuries presenting to an emergency depart-
ment in Scotland, 100% of cricket injury presenta-
tions were associated with a bony injury.[18] X-rays
were required in 75% of these cases.
Among children, cricket injuries contributed
4% of all sports-related injuries, ranking it as the
eighth largest cause of sports-related injuries lead-
ing to child emergency department presentations
in Australia.[10] The fact that impact injuries rank
so highly in emergency department data collections
in Australia is related to the fact that these injuries
are often acute and severe (e.g. fractures). How-
ever, it is important to note that whilst emergency
department data collections represent the more se-
vere injuries requiring hospital treatment, the ma-
jority of cricket injuries are not severe enough to
warrant hospital attendance.
Other studies have also found a relatively high
incidence of facial injuries as a result of cricket, in
comparison to other sports,[19] with the rising de-
livery being the cause of the majority of these in-
juries.

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266 Finch et al.

Table II. Reported frequency of general cricket injuries according to body region injured
Study Data source Number (population) Injured area (%)
head upper lower trunk other
extremities extremities
Stretch[8] Self-report questionnaire, 116 (teenagers) 19.3 24.6 22.8 33.3
schoolboy cricketers, (head/neck/face)
South Africa
Stretch[9] Self-report questionnaire, 183 (adults) 9.1 34.1 37.5 19.3
club and provincial (head/neck/face)
players, South Africa
Finch et al.[10] Australian emergency 3846 injuries, 3408 16.6 32.6 22.8 4.2 4.1
department presentations players (adults)
Australian emergency 2345 injuries, 1945 44.2 33.9 15.5 3.2 3.2
department presentations players (children)

2. Overuse Injuries of injury.[13] The bowling action itself can be di-

Like many athletes today, cricketers are expected
to train harder and longer, and at an earlier age, if
they are to succeed at the elite level. Therefore, it is
not surprising that the hours of repetitious practice
produce a gradual deterioration in the functional
capacity of the body.[20-22] This deterioration in
function is often matched by a form of overuse in-
jury where repeated sub-threshold forces, each lower
than the acute injury threshold for tissue, produce
a combined fatigue effect in musculoskeletal tissue
over a period of time. Cricketers can experience a
range of overuse injuries associated with all aspects
of the game including running (e.g. lower limb),
throwing (e.g. shoulder and elbow) and bowling
(e.g. lower back). Probably the most common over-
use injury, particularly within the organised setting
at the elite level, is abnormal radiological features
of the lumber spine in fast bowlers.[23] Indeed, fast
bowling has been described as one of the highest
non-contact injury risk activities in cricket.[24]
A summary of the risk factors associated with
overuse cricket injuries is presented in table III.
2.1 Overuse Injuries in Fast Bowlers
Bowling involves repetitive twisting, extension
and rotation of the trunk in a short period, while
body tissues and footwear must absorb the large
ground reaction forces (GRF). It is the speed of the
delivery, and thus the force of the action, that
makes the fast bowler prone to a higher incidence
vided into 3 stages: the run-up to back foot impact
(BFI), the delivery stride and the release and follow
through. The run up to the BFI is the movement of
the bowler from stance (i.e. a standing position) to
the landing of the back foot. The delivery stride is
the period between the BFI and ball release. The
release phase occurs when the ball actually leaves
the hand and has been delivered to the receiving
batter.
These stages of the bowling action determine a
bowler’s technique, and there is evidence to sug-
gest that particular bowling techniques can put a
bowler at an increased risk of injury (unpublished
data).[4,5,22,26,27] The fast bowler uses one of 2
bowling techniques (side- or front-on) or a combina-
tion of these, known as the mixed bowling tech-
nique.[22] The side- and front-on bowling tech-
niques are associated with the lowest incidence of
injury as they reduce the degree of extension and
lateral flexion of the lower back (unpublished
data).[4,5,22,26,27] The mixed action results in exces-
sive twisting of the spine that leads to the adoption
of a hyperextended and laterally flexed position of
the spine during the delivery stride (unpublished
data).[4,5,22,26] This places considerable stress on the
lumbar spine, making it prone to injury.
Regardless of how physically fit a cricketer is,
if the bowling technique used involves hyperexten-
sion and/or excessive twisting of the spine (i.e. the
mechanical characteristics of the mixed bowling
technique) then there is a significant risk of devel-

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Preventing Cricket Injuries 267

oping a back injury (unpublished data).[13] Such Table III. Risk factors for overuse injuries in cricket
injuries can include the development of abnormal Overuse type injuries Reference
radiological features in the lumbar spine, which Hereditary factors 4, 22, unpublished
data
result from a combination of factors such as genetic
Incorrect bowling technique 4, 5, 24
disposition, incorrect bowling technique, poor prep- Poor preparation 4, 5
aration and/or overuse. Bowling too many overs in a single spell, or 5
While abnormal radiological features of the spine bowling for too many spells
of fast bowlers have not been significantly associ- Excessive bowling throughout the growth Unpublished data
period (for young players)
ated with impact forces involved in the bowling
Increased stiffness of the lumbar vertebrae in 25
stride, there is little doubt that the large GRF, in the off-season
conjunction with the mixed action, will lead to in- Tightness in the muscle groups around the 25
jury.[13] The bowler experiences a series of impacts pelvis which can lead to forward rotation,
thereby increasing the forward curvature of
with the grass in the run-up, followed by 2 large the lumbar spine
impacts resulting from landing on the back and then Decreased flexibility in the lower back 5
front foot, on very hard turf or concrete. During Too much reliance on upper body strength, 5
delivery, these forces are transmitted through the in attempting to bowl too fast
bones, cartilage, tendons, ligaments and muscles Poor hamstring or lower back flexibility, 4
predisposing bowlers to an intervertebral
of the foot, leg, thigh and pelvis to the discs in the disk abnormality
spine and the facet joints of the vertebrae.[13] Peak A body which is not physically prepared for 4, 5, 25
vertical GRFs of 4.1 to 9 times the bowler’s body- the rigours of fast bowling
weight have been recorded when the front foot is Excessive body fat 4, 5
Adverse posture 4
planted on the ground.[3,28]
Height of the longitudinal arch of the foot 5
The fast bowler has been reported to experience Excessive shoulder rotation to attain a 4, 5, 24
a range of abnormal radiological features such as side-on bowling action
bony abnormalities (e.g. spondylolytic incidences, Higher release position of the ball 4, 5, 24
spondylolisthesis, spondylolysis, pedicle sclerosis Mixed action bowling technique 4, 5, 22, 26,
unpublished data
and pars defect), disk degeneration, muscle and other
tissue tears, and pain (unpublished data).[4,5,22,25-27,29]
Engstrom et al.[30] also showed that there were sig-
nificant differences in the size of the muscles on There is a paucity of literature specifically focusing
each side of the lumbar spine (particularly in the on overuse injuries associated with these aspects
quadratus lumborum). However, the effect of mus- of cricket. Repetitious throwing can result in over-
cle asymmetries on forces and torques about the use shoulder problems, degenerative changes in the
lumbar spine remains unclear. rotator cuff, tendinitis in the biceps or a tear of the
The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) states that supraspinatus tendon.[17] Given that bowlers and
bowlers concentrating on bowling too fast for ex- batters are expected to run long distances during a
tended periods during practice and match play will game, overuse injuries of the legs (i.e. stress frac-
be predisposed to lower back injury.[28] As a result, tures, shin pain, patellar tendinitis and muscle tears)
the ACB limits bowlers of medium pace and above can occur.[17] For example, in a study of injuries
to a maximum of 8 consecutive overs in 1 spell, presenting to a podiatric sports medicine clinic, 7%
and to a maximum of 20 overs in any 1 day.[31] of patients presenting with patellofemoral joint
pain were participants in cricket.[32]
2.2 Overuse Injuries in Other Players All bowlers are at risk of splitting or wearing of
the finger skin as it is dragged across the seam of
Other overuse injuries to cricketers are related the ball to impart spin.[17] Protective strapping can-
to the actions of throwing, catching or running. not be used, and the skin may only partially heal

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268
Table IV. Risk factors for impact injuries in cricket
Collision type injuries
Direct contact with a ball or bat
Direct contact with another player
Direct contact with the ground or boundary
Unanticipated bounce
Lack of protective equipment
Level of skill or experience
Age
Poor visual/spatial awareness skills
between matches. The end or middle finger joints
are often traumatised repeatedly by the bowling ac-
tion, and sometimes the consequent osteoarthritic
changes are severe enough to prevent participation
in the sport.[17] A wicket keeper may also experi-
ence osteoarthritic changes in the knees (because
of the unnatural action of repeated squatting), and
in the joints of the hand from the repeated action
of catching the ball.[17]
Cricketers are also at risk of reoccurring injury.
Smith[33] found that 20% of injuries sustained
while touring were the re-aggravation of a previous
injury. Furthermore, approximately 24% of inju-
ries to club and provincial cricketers were recur-
rent, while around 23% of all new injuries were
re-aggravated again during the same season.[9] An
even more alarming statistic reported by Stretch[9]
was that 30% of injuries to schoolboy cricketers
were a recurrence of an old injury, while 37% of
new injuries recurred again during the same season.
This possibly indicates a lack of adequate rehabil-
itation, leading to re-injury and potential problems
for young players in the future.
3. Impact Injuries
Impact or collision injuries can occur in a num-
ber of ways on the cricket field. They can be the
result of direct contact with a ball, another player,
the ground or the boundary. For example, bowlers
and infielders can be exposed to balls of very high
speed and misjudgment of the ball or an unanticipated
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Finch et al.
bounce may result in injury. Table IV summarises
Reference the risk factors for impact injuries in cricket.
16, 34, 35, In cricket, a solid ball is propelled from a dis-
unpublished data
35
tance of about 20m, at speeds around 140 km/h,
17 towards the batter.[17,41] Within a very short period
36, 37 of time of the delivery, a number of decisions have
17, 34, 37, 38, to be made by the batter, including determining the
unpublished data
line and length of the ball, whether to move for-
39
ward or back, whether or not to play a stroke and
12
37, 40
which stroke to play.[36] If a predictable delivery is
bowled, then stroke production will naturally fol-
low. However, laboratory measures of visual reac-
tion time suggest that in some aspects of high speed
ball games, such as cricket batting, changes to stroke
production appear to be impossible to monitor be-
cause there is insufficient time for the player to
respond to unpredictable movements of the ball.[37]
This lack of time creates a visual inadequacy which
causes the batsman to misjudge where the ball will
land.[40] This misjudgment could cause the ball to
ricochet off the bat’s edge or lead to the batsman
missing the ball completely, both possibly resulting
in a collision of the cricket ball with the body.[38]
Helmets are a relatively new protective device
for cricketers. Although injury data gathered be-
fore and after the introduction of cricket helmets
and associated standards are nonexistent,[34] the use
of helmets as a preventive measure has been well
documented in other sports.[42] Likewise, the use
of eye and facial visors attached to helmets has not
been formally evaluated, although the benefits in
other sports have been documented.[42] Australia
and New Zealand have developed a standard for
helmets, based on a discussion paper by McColough
(unpublished data). This standard (AS/NZ 4499)
specifies the requirements for helmet use in cricket
to mitigate the effects of a blow to the head by a
cricket ball.
Cricket as a cause of eye and facial injuries has
received very little attention. A survey over 18
months at the Sussex Eye Hospital, England, re-
vealed 5 minor cricket-related eye injuries, account-
ing for 5.4% of all sporting eye injuries recorded.[15]
In a study of sports injury presentations to the
Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital in Melbourne,
Sports Med 1999 Oct; 28 (4)
Preventing Cricket Injuries
Australia, cricket was associated with 14% of eye
trauma attendances over a 2-year period.[35] Stud-
ies by MacEwan[43] and Jones[44] also highlighted
cricket as a potential risk of eye trauma, accounting
for 2 and 4% of eye hospital presentations, respec-
tively. Furthermore, Jones and Tullo[16] observed
that cricket represented 9.0% of sport-related eye
injuries, including such severe injuries as a detached
retina, orbital fracture and rupture of the globe. The
provision of a polycarbonate visor or face cage to
cricket helmets could protect against severe eye
injuries caused by an uneven ball bounce or a ric-
ochet off the bat’s edge.[38] Balls coming from this
direction have the potential to cause such serious
eye trauma as globe ruptures.[38]
There is a large array of other protective equip-
ment available for batters and wicket keepers that
has become part of the game’s culture, including
helmets with visors, leg guards, thigh pads, chest
protectors, forearm guards, gloves and groin boxes.
They are worn to varying degrees, at all levels of
organised cricket, to reduce the injury rate and se-
verity of injuries. A batter’s feet are vulnerable to
being struck by a ball, and a light batting shoe to
promote quick running speed may offer little pro-
tection against impact from a cricket ball.[17,45]
Wicket keepers can experience a great deal of
trauma, especially when on the receiving end of a
fast delivery. Wicket keepers’ gloves have padding
and webbing between the fingers and thumb and
are often worn with protective inner gloves and
taping.
Fielders, particularly those in the infield, can
also encounter direct blows from the ball. Another
collision-type injury can occur when the fielder runs
or slides into the boundary fence. For example,
Corrigan[17] described 3 fielders who ruptured their
spleen when attempting to catch and landing heavily
on their side.
In reviewing the literature regarding cricket
countermeasures, no formal evidence was identified
for the benefit of body padding in reducing injury
in a controlled trial. In a biomechanical, laboratory-
based impact study, Hrysomallis[34] reported that
although leg guards were found to offer adequate
 Adis International Limited. All rights reserved.
269
impact resistance around the shin and ankle, 6 of
the 11 guards tested did not meet the requirements
for repeated drops on the knee roll. Of the 11 batting
gloves tested, 2 did not meet the required stand-
ards, and many gloves had gaps in the padding.
Furthermore, the study indicated that the price of
body padding did not reflect the level of protection
it provided. As cricket is predominantly played in
summer, it was also found that the higher temper-
ature and humidity resulted in more protective
equipment failing to meet the British Standard, while
construction and pad thickness significantly influ-
enced shock absorption ability.
4. Measures to Prevent Cricket Injuries
While there are various countermeasures in place
to prevent specific types of overuse and impact in-
juries, there are also other, more general, strategies
which can be used to prevent a wide range of inju-
ries from occurring. Good stretching programmes
before and after play, as well as comprehensive
conditioning and technique programmes before and
during the season, are important injury prevention
measures.[46,47] Non-elite cricketers may believe that
preparation for the cricket season is not important
and that skill alone will determine how well a
cricketer will perform.[6] Perhaps the lack of re-
search into the role of fitness and cricket performance
is a major reason for this attitude. There have been
no specific evaluations of the role of warm-up and
conditioning programmes for preventing cricket
injuries.
Cricket is a summer sport, and with it comes an
increased risk of skin cancer, dehydration, heat ex-
haustion and heat stroke. In general, cricketers are
required to wear white shirts, trousers and, if de-
sired, a hat, reflecting heat to a greater extent than
coloured clothes. By wearing these, the eyes and
skin are given additional protection from the sun.
It has also been suggested that when playing in hot
or humid conditions the medium pace bowler should
alternate 4 minutes of bowling and 4 minutes of
standing still on the boundary.[6] Given a bowler’s
continual energetic and strenuous activity, and bat-
ters who may control the strike for a number of
Sports Med 1999 Oct; 28 (4)
270
overs with many singles being scored, and then
stand at the non-striker end for an undue period of
time at high temperatures, dehydration has to be
considered a serious possibility.[6] Regular intake
of fluids should be maintained to reduce the risk of
heat illness, and maintain physical and mental per-
formance. It is recommended that 1 or 2 glasses of
water be consumed 45 minutes prior to the event,
continual opportunities to drink be provided during
play, and that consumption after play greater than
that dictated by thirst occurs in order to replace
fluid loss.[48]
Cricketers rely heavily on the quality of the
whole playing field, and not just specifically on the
pitch. The New Zealand Turf Culture Institute has
responded to requests from several national sports
bodies to establish a national performance testing
system.[49] The performance testing system is a
precise and scientific means of monitoring the stand-
ard of the construction and maintenance of the
cricket field. Specific details are given for outfield
dimensions, levelness and speed, pitch levelness and
pace, surface and sub-surface hardness, and ball
rebound resilience.
Appropriate footwear is relevant to all cricket-
ers, especially bowlers, who will run 5 to 6km and
walk 10 to 15km during a day’s play, while absorbing
GRF of 4 to 9 times their own bodyweight (unpub-
lished data).[3,28] A batter’s feet are also vulnerable
to injury from being struck by a ball, and a light
batting shoe, which may promote quick running
speed, may offer little protection against impact
from a cricket ball.[17,34,45] However, no specific
literature describing the selection and benefits of
well-designed cricket footwear was identified.
Instruction clinics on proper cricketing techniques
currently occur in school-related organisations.
Guidelines are produced by the ACB to aid in school
education programmes, particularly Kanga Cricket
and the progression to the VicHit programme. How-
ever, the large number of recreational players makes
this source of information impractical for community-
based teams. As a result, those in a coaching posi-
tion need to be fully educated about the correct
techniques needed in all aspects of the game.
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Finch et al.
Kanga cricket, a modified version of cricket, has
been developed for primary-aged children in Aus-
tralia, to offer an introduction to the game and a
chance to develop skills before progressing to more
competitive levels.[50] Kanga cricket is played with
a specially designed soft ball and smaller, light-
weight moulded plastic bats and stumps, which
eliminates the need for protective equipment and
reduces the likelihood of injury. Kanga cricket also
has rules about short pitch deliveries.
Injuries need to be properly managed to restrict
the possibility of further damage. Overall, the treat-
ment goals are pain relief, promotion of healing,
decreased inflammation and a return to functional
and sports activities as soon as possible. Returning
to play too early after injury can make the player
susceptible to further injury.[48] The coach should
ensure that the risk of further injury is reduced. A
rehabilitation programme cannot be regarded as
having been completed until the athlete is free from
pain, muscle strength has returned to approximately
the pre-injury level, and articulatory mobility (joint
union movement) has recovered to a pre-injury level.
5. Conclusions
This paper has discussed the full range of injury
prevention activities for preventing cricket injuries.
Many of the recommended or widely promoted
countermeasures have yet to be proven effective,
and more controlled studies ‘in the field’ are needed.
More effort directed towards basic scientific studies
to better understand the biomechanics of cricket,
the mechanisms of injury, and the role of various
risk factors in causation is also required. Indeed,
the evidence for the effectiveness of certain counter-
measures such as warming-up, shoe design, reduced
bowling spells and body padding remains equivocal.
Information regarding an association between
abnormal radiological features of the lumbar spine
and fast bowling has largely been based on cross-
sectional prevalence surveys, with only 1 prospec-
tive study having been conducted to date.[5] Addi-
tional prospective studies need to be undertaken to
fully explore this relationship. Research is also re-
quired to determine the maximum desired number
Sports Med 1999 Oct; 28 (4)
Preventing Cricket Injuries
of overs to be bowled in a single spell. This should
determine whether it is the number of overs per
day, the number of overs per spell, or a combina-
tion of these 2 measures that is the crucial variable,
and whether there is a critical number of overs per
season. Further research into the biomechanics of
fast bowling is required to determine the clustering
of factors that lead to overuse back injury.[23] Re-
search is also required to determine the role of the
arm in rotation on spine loading.
Specific recommendations for future counter-
measure research and development include:
• Longitudinal studies demonstrating correct
bowling techniques (front- and side-on actions),
leading to a reduction in the incidence of back
injuries.
• Studies that link spinal muscular asymmetry,
specific bowling techniques and injury.
• Research into the mechanisms of overuse injuries
to the shoulder and legs.
• Developmental research into ways to prevent
finger injuries in bowlers.
• Development and formal evaluation of pre-
participation screening programmes and sub-
sequent physical training of elite fast bowlers.
• Epidemiological research into the incidence of
eye, dental and facial injuries, and associated
factors.
• Measurement and improvement of the protective
performance of padding.
• Additional research into the role, and optimal
duration and frequency of warm-up, stretching
and cool-down as an injury prevention measure.
• Further development of appropriate footwear for
both fast bowlers and other players.
Acknowledgements
This study was funded by Sport and Recreation Victoria
and undertaken at the Monash University Accident Research
Centre. The paper was written whilst Dr Finch was employed
at Deakin University. The work of Dr Finch was funded by
a Public Health Research and Development Committee (of
the National Health and Medical Research Council) Fellowship.
Drew Mitchell assisted in the preparation of this manuscript.
 Adis International Limited. All rights reserved.
271
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Correspondence and reprints: Dr Caroline Finch, School of
Human Movement, Deakin University, 221 Burwood High-
way, Burwood, Victoria 3125, Australia.
E-mail: cfinch@deakin.edu.au
Sports Med 1999 Oct; 28 (4)