DVCA cricketers save teammate in scary incident

A trio of local cricketers from Melbourne’s north sprung into action to save the life of a teammate who collapsed at the crease with a heart attack at the weekend.

Grant Lacy is still in good spirits.

Heroic cricketers from Melbourne’s north have saved the life of a teammate who suffered a heart attack during a game.

Grant Lacy collapsed while batting during the Lalor Stars’ Third XI Diamond Valley Cricket Association game on Saturday.

Clubmates from the First XI including vice president Joey Abbas, Luke Miranda and Josh Nixon rushed from an adjoining ground and performed CPR using a defibrillator.

It was the third heart attack the 61-year-old father has experienced in his life but he labels this the scariest.

Opposition player Alex Horder from Lower Plenty rushed into the clubrooms to grab the Stars’ defibrillator which was stored in the canteen.

An ambulance arrived within minutes to treat Lacy, who is one of the Stars’ most loved committee members and volunteers.

“I don’t remember anything,” he said from his hospital room where he is still recovering.

“I was batting at the non-striker’s end, felt dizzy and then woke up in the back of the ambulance.

“The other two (heart attacks) weren’t like this, I drove myself to hospital both times.

“I was just lucky, an ambulance was close by, and they were in the right spot at the right time.

“I do all the unpaid work because I love it. But I got paid back more than I ever could on Saturday with my life.”

Abbas recalled being at the top of his bowling mark when he heard someone scream “someone get the defib”.

Grant (right) at the Boxing Day Test in December with his son.

Grant enjoying what he loves, having a beer.

A disability carer in his daily life, Abbas said he was fortunate to have the necessary training to perform CPR.

But this was the first time he’s needed to use the skills.

“I think we got to him just in time,” Abbas said.

“It just happened so quickly. We were thinking from our point of view the ball might have hit him.

“It was an emotional and traumatic experience for a lot of our players.”

Lacy’s impact on the Stars has been profound and evidenced by the outpouring of support he has received since near death experience.

He has previously played a significant role at Cranbourne Meadows Cricket Club and was involved in footy at Cranbourne Eagles.

He can often be found running the club bar or canteen and in previous years he’s been a junior coach.

“Grant’s the type of bloke everyone wants at their cricket club,” Abbas said.

“He’s just a guy who does everything. He’s one of the most popular guys at our cricket club.”

Reflecting on his own experience, Lacy encouraged all clubs to have a defibrillator on hand.

“That’s the thing about some clubs, worried about paying players, put a defib in with that money and teach people how to use it,” he said.

Abbas said the Stars had previously undergone training to teach club members to use the life saving equipment.

“Every year I think I’ve got to sit in this class which is boring as hell but on the weekend you realise it could happen to anyone, anywhere,” he said.

“Luckily we were at home. Usually they (the Third XI) play at remote grounds where there’s no club rooms, no defib. Some of them might not have done CPR training in their life.

“It is important for clubs to start investing in that type of equipment.”

Despite still lying in hospital, waiting for clarification on what caused the heart attack, Lacy has every intention of returning to the field.

He joked in a social media comment he was “not out and still had a game to play”.

“I hope to play again. I just love sport, I love cricket,” he said.

“I love being involved, you’ve got to help out. It’s hard to get volunteers.

“I’ve played senior cricket for 43 years and I’ve never been paid.

“Our Third XI is made up of older guys, some older than me, we should be playing Vets.

“But we do it because we love having a beer together after a game.”

Both games at W.A Smith Reserve, the home of the Lalor Stars were called off after the incident, as was the Second XI’s clash who were playing away.