Big Bash: ‘Nasty’ bouncer knocks Stars skipper John Hastings’ helmet clean off

MELBOURNE Stars captain John Hastings has survived a scary incident against Brisbane Heat after the big all-rounder’s helmet was knocked clean off by a brutal bouncer.

John Hastings loses his helmet.

THANK God for helmets!

Melbourne Stars skipper John Hastings has survived a scary incident against Brisbane Heat after the big all-rounder’s helmet was knocked clean off by a brutal bouncer.

Facing his first ball at the crease, Hastings mistimed a Ben Cutting short ball that crashed into the side of the helmet’s grill, dislodging it from his melon. As The Duke collected his bearings, he managed to avoid being bowled by kicking the Kookaburra away from the stumps.

John Hastings is stuck by a brutal bouncer.

“It’s got him right in the helmet and that’s nasty - in the end just kicks the ball away before it bowled him,” Mark ‘Howie’ Howard winced in the commentary box.

“Hastings says to Cutting ‘I’m OK’. I’m not sure how the ball or helmet didn’t the stumps.

“He’s a big tough man Johnny Hastings but that I reckon has rattled him, hopefully all is OK for the big fella.”

Thankfully Hastings was unhurt but the blow seemed to have an effect with the all-rounder falling the very next ball.

The helmet crashes into the turf.

LIVE: The @StarsBBL have had a tough night at the crease, with some anxious moments , too -bit.ly/2lHxlkm#TeamGreen#TurnUpTheHeat #BBL07 pic.twitter.com/IOZrtyo3Ds

— Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) January 2, 2018

You’d need to bowl a bowling ball to knock down the big duke #bbl07 @BBL https://t.co/JuLR5kwf9S

— Kieran Wagstaff (@KieranWagstaff) January 2, 2018

Am I the only one seeing this... minus the hair? @johnhastings194 @Mummy_41 #BBL07 #Lookalike pic.twitter.com/PhVl6O0kuM

— Matt Hagias (@MattHagias) January 2, 2018

Jesus that could have been nasty for Hastings #BBL07

— James (@JamesK_1312) January 2, 2018

Tough man Hastings. Copped a 145km ball right in the face and still had the composure to kick the ball away from his stumps. #BBL07

— Dave Hughes (@DHughesy) January 2, 2018

So good to see Hastings is okay. That was rough... #BBL07

— Veronica Eggleton (@veggleton) January 2, 2018