Hilton Cartwright has been stretchered off and taken to hospital after suffering a worrying neck injury during Sunday night’s Big Bash League season-opener between the Melbourne Stars and Perth Scorchers.
Cartwright was attempting to stop a Cooper Connolly shot from reaching the boundary line with a diving effort during the Scorchers’ successful run chase.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cartwright injured during BBL opener.
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But as he reached out for the ball, Cartwright could be seen immediately screaming in agony.
His face also crashed into the turf on impact, but it was his neck that was the main area of concern.
The crowd fell silent as the 32-year-old lay motionless on the turf after sliding to a stop, and medical staff carefully assessed him for almost five minutes before loading him onto the medi-cab.
“Something’s happened here. He has his hand over his face so something is obviously wrong. Let’s hope it’s not anything too serious,” Ricky Ponting said in commentary.
Justin Langer added: “It’s like he knew straight away. He is one of the toughest athletes you will ever come across.”
There was concern for his neck as well.
“When you see the replay, there was a whiplash type effect on the neck as well,” Jason Richardson said.
Stars captain Marcus Stoinis got his team together for a quick pep talk to rally the troops.
Teammate Sam Harper, who was mic’d up at the time, said it was “no good at all”.
As replays rolled again, Ponting added: “He might have done it trying to keep his face off the ground. He has almost fully extended and he can feel his face going and he whips his neck back up again to protect himself.”
After a delay of around 10 minutes, play eventually resumed.
Field commentator Emma Freedman later said that Cartwright was taken to hospital in a neck brace.
“They have put him in a neck brace as you can see on camera at the moment,” she said.
“It is an impact to his neck. He has been taken down in the medicab and he is being taken to hospital.
“Obviously being a possible neck injury, every precaution being taken at the moment to make sure that he is OK, and we are thinking of him.”
Stars skipper Stoinis provided a brief update to Channel 7 after the match.
“I got an update to say he doesn’t have concussion, so that’s the first good sign, but he has headed to hospital and he is getting scans on his neck, they’re a bit worried about his neck,” he said.
“Fingers crossed because he is an important part of our team and the WA squad, and he’s a well respected guy. So hopefully he is OK.”
Scorchers skipper Ashton Turner told Channel 7 after the match that it was a “sickening” sight to see.
The Stars picked up the wicket of Connolly (64) shortly after the stoppage, but the damage was already done.
Perth cruised to their target of 147 with over three overs to spare.
Connolly top scored, while skipper Ashton Turner (37no) and Nick Hobson (27no) cruised to the finish line.
Earlier, the Stars made a slow start with eight straight dot balls before eventually limping to 9-146.
Stoinis top scored with 37, along with Tom Curran.
Jason Behrendorff opened with a maiden and picked up one wicket, while Jhye Richardson was the chief destroyer with three scalps.