Aussie Test great Greg Blewett’s return to cricket cut short by suspected ruptured Achilles
A former Australian Test cricketer’s marquee T20 appearance was over in painful fashion as quickly as it had begun on Sunday. Here’s what unfolded.
Greg Blewett’s first cricket match in a decade ended in agony as the former Australian Test batsman was made to retire hurt after just one ball.
Blewett was making a marquee appearance for Berwick Springs in the Dandenong District Cricket Association T20 competition on Sunday, but suffered a suspected ruptured Achilles when he went to run a bye.
Heinz Southern Districts tweaker Luke Grady had sent down an arm ball yorker which slipped down the leg side and evaded the keeper before Blewett took off for a run.
“He went to run one and bang, he was on the floor,” was how one onlooker who was at the ground described the incident.
Blewett, who is 54 years old, had to be helped from the field.
Berwick Springs would go on to post 5-142 from its 20 overs, before HSD snuck home for a four-wicket victory with three balls to spare at Berwick Springs Recreation Reserve, in Melbourne’s southeast.
Berwick Springs, and Blewett – before his injury – had been due to play another match against Berwick later in the day, but that game was washed out before a ball could be bowled.
“Came out of retirement today, haven’t played cricket for 10 years, how did it go? Not great,” said Greg Blewett on his Instagram story later on Sunday night, as the camera panned to the moon boot he was wearing.
“That’s the result and I’m getting a scan tomorrow, I’m thinking ruptured Achilles, so yeah, no good.
“I’m sure the recovery is going to be a pain in the arse but that is the update from Melbourne … life goes on and I’ll get stuck into my rehab. I’m going to be a sore and slow boy for a little bit.”
Blewett played 46 Test matches and 32 ODIs for Australia, with 2552 Test runs to his name.
He also won the Sheffield Shield with South Australia in 1995-96 and scored over 17,000 First Class runs.
“I got a phone call out of the blue wondering if I’d come down to Melbourne and play in this game,” Blewett had said prior to the match on Berwick Springs’ social media pages.
“It’s been a while since I’ve played but I thought, ‘why not?’
“I’m going to keep it simple, keep it simple stupid, that’s my motto today.
“See ball, hit ball. It’s bloody cold so I’ll make sure I get warm and ready to go, I might have 40 or 50 in me, that’d be nice.”
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