Hilton Cartwright was taken to hospital on Sunday night after the Melbourne Stars batsman appeared to suffer a neck injury during the Big Bash League’s curtain raiser at the Optus Stadium.
The 32-year-old middle order batsman had been fielding at deep point when Perth’s Cooper Connolly had struck the ball out towards him.
Cartwright appeared to dive to save the boundary as the ball careered toward the rope but fell to the ground with some force.
He initially appeared to curl up on the ground while clutching his head.
Team-mate Marcus Stoinis was the first player to arrive and quickly gestured for medical teams to come onto the pitch.
The crowd had fallen silent upon realising that Cartwright had been seriously hurt, with commentator Ricky Ponting saying on Channel 7’s commentary: ‘Something’s happened here. He has his hand over his face so something is obviously wrong.
‘Let’s hope it’s not anything too serious.’
Former Australian Test great Justin Langer added: ‘It’s like he knew straight away. He is one of the toughest athletes you will ever come across.’
Worryingly Cartwright stayed on the floor as he was attended to by medics, before doctors placed him in a neck brace and transported him from the field on a stretcher.
The Stars later announced that Cartwright was immediately taken to hospital for further assessments and scans on his neck.
‘It’s hard because he’s a very well respected, loved guy all around the changerooms…’ Stoinis, the Stars’ new captain, said on Cartwright after the match.
‘Hopefully it turns out alright.’
Stoinis later told Channel 7 after the game that he had not sustained a concussion injury.
‘I got an update to say he doesn’t have concussion, so that’s the first good sign, but he has headed to hospital and he is getting scans on his neck, they’re a bit worried about his neck,’ he said.
‘Fingers crossed because he is an important part of our team and the WA squad, and he’s a well respected guy. So hopefully he is OK.’
More to follow…
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