Surrey duo left in hospital after horrific incident
SURREY’S T20 Blast match at Sussex was abandoned yesterday after a horrific on-field clash left fielders Rory Burns and Moises Henriques unconscious and stricken on the outfield.
Three ambulances were called onto the playing arena as both players required lengthy medical treatment after crashing into each other at high speed while attempting to take a catch. The duo departed for Chichester Hospital 45 minutes later.
Immediate worries subsided slightly as both players offered acknowledgement to concerned spectators as they left the pitch, while the umpires decided to halt play with Sussex 141-7 in the 19th over. Surrey last night tweeted that Henriques was awaiting the results of an X-ray after suffering a suspected broken jaw in the incident, while Burns was due to see a specialist but was said to be talking to hospital staff.
The events overshadowed Kevin Pietersen’s final match for Surrey before he heads off for a stint with the St Lucia Zouks in the Caribbean Premier League.
Surrey remain hopeful that the 34-year-old will return to the club once his T20 commitments have finished and power their bid for promotion to English domestic cricket’s top flight. They currently lie second in Division Two behind leaders Lancashire.
Yesterday’s abandonment leaves Surrey bottom of the T20 Blast south group after six games, with work to do in order to finish in the top four and qualify for the quarter finals.
Middlesex, meanwhile, are level on points with Surrey but a place higher in the table courtesy of a superior run rate after suffering a 43-run defeat to Gloucestershire at Old Deer Park, Richmond yesterday.