‘Nasty’: Hilton Cartwright injury silences crowd in BBL season opener
The first match of the 2024 BBL season has been rocked by a terrifying injury blow that saw a former Aussie Test star leave in a neck brace.
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A record crowd for a Big Bash League opening match has been left silenced after Melbourne Stars player Hilton Cartwright was stretchered off the field and put in a neck brace.
The first match of BBL|14 was taken to Western Australia for the first time with the Perth Scorchers dominating Melbourne Stars at Optus Stadium in Perth, claiming a six wicket win with 17 balls remaining.
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But the oxygen was sucked out of the stadium of the 13th over of the Scorchers innings when Cartwright chased a ball to the boundary, diving but failing to save the ball from the boundary in an incident that left the Western Australian was left slumped on the turf after the effort.
Initially the commentators feared it was a shoulder injury but it soon appeared clear he was being treated for a neck injury.
Fox Sports commentator Mark Howard said “a pall over the ground right now, everyone concerned about Hilton Cartwright.”
The medicab was called almost immediately as he was put in a neck brace and stretched off the field.
A few overs later, Fox Sports’ Kath Loughnan said the Stars had given an update.
“Hilton Cartwright is off to hospital very shortly,” she said.
“Initially we thought it was that left shoulder that was the problem but he spent a fair few minutes lying on the ground and clutching his neck.
“The Stars have confirmed it is his neck they’re concerned about. But he is conscious, he’s fine, he’s in good spirits, but he’ll be heading now to hospital for further care.”
Mark Howard said it was a “fairly positive update considering the circumstances”.
He added that it being a neck injury may be a blessing in disguise as Cartwright had dealt with a shoulder injuries in the past.
But fans were worried about what they had seen.
CricTracker wrote: “Hilton Cartwright suffered a scary injury while attempting to save a boundary during the BBL game between Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars, injuring his neck and left shoulder, and being taken off on a mobile cart.”
Another wrote: “Jesus Christ that wasn’t pretty from Hilton Cartwright prayers up.”
A third added: “Ugly injury for Hilton Cartwright. Looks to have hurt his neck quite badly after diving to stop a boundary.”
A fourth commented: “@BBL all the best Cartwright – nasty!”
And plenty more fans offered their thoughts, prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery.
The game was largely a one-sided affair with the Scorchers claiming a big win to kick off their campaign.
The Scorchers couldn’t have gotten off to a better start after Jason Behrendorff bowled a maiden to kick off the tournament, while Jhye Richardson followed up to leave the Stars 1/1 after two overs.
Richardson’s following over, he took the wicket of Sam Harper to leave the Stars 2/3.
But a rescue missing from Marcus Stoinis (37 off 33 balls) and Cartwright (18 off 17) gave the Stars some hope of a competitive score.
A 19-ball 37 from Tom Curran helped get Melbourne to 146.
While New Zealand import Finn Allen blasted the first ball of the Scorchers innings for 6, before his countryman Adam Milne hit right back, knocking over Allen’s middle stump with the second ball.
The Stars then had the hosts 2/15, and 3/37 but young gun Cooper Connolly batted the Scorchers to safety, hitting four fours and three sixes in a 51-ball 64.
After his dismissal, Ashton Turner (37 not out off 27) and Nick Hobson (27 not out off 14) finished off a big win with 2.5 overs remaining.
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Originally published as ‘Nasty’: Hilton Cartwright injury silences crowd in BBL season opener
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