As the new cricket season gets under way, the injuries in the England cricket team – Ben Stokes’s knee, Jofra Archer’s elbow, Jack Leach’s back and knee – are a reminder that the game is fraught with danger. Even the kitbag is called a coffin.
Cricket never features in lists of world’s most perilous sports – which are usually topped by base jumping, mountaineering, bull-riding and – surprisingly – cheerleading. But research by Middlesex University in 1998 found that for every 100,000 cricketers, 130 require hospital treatment in the UK every year. This makes cricket the third-most risky sport, after rugby and hockey – and on a par with skiing.
For many years, I’ve illustrated the Chronicle, compiled by Matthew Engel.
