How Injuries Can be Reduced in Cricket Match

What is Match?

A “match” is a contest between two teams, who play each other in accordance with rules specified on both sides of the contest. A cricket match may consist of several matches, usually played at different venues over a period of time. Cricket is played worldwide and is recognized as being a major sport.

What is Injury?

 The word ‘injury’ means any damage done to someone, especially physically. Injuries are caused by various factors including accidents (such as car crashes), falls, violence (including fights involving bats) and injuries sustained due to playing sports. There are many types of injuries that occur in cricket matches depending upon the nature of the game. These include broken bones, ligament injuries, spinal cord injuries, head injuries, muscle injuries, eye injuries and skin burns.

Types of Injuries:

 In cricket injuries can be divided into three categories – those caused by contact with ball, bat or wicket, those caused by contact with fielders and those caused by collision with other players.

Causes of Injuries:

1. Contact with ball or bat causes direct force on the body, either through hard impact or frictional force. Friction is defined as the tendency for solid bodies to stick together after coming in contact with each other. An example would be a rubber band rubbing against another rubber band. When we talk about contact with the wickets, it refers to how the batsman hits the ball while batting. Similarly, if a bowler bowls a ball outside his own off-stump, then he could get injured. This particular type of injury is called “bowling”. If the ball gets stuck in the pitch, causing injury to anyone directly hit by the ball, that would be considered as a “hit ball” or “caught ball” injury. So these are the most common forms of injuries in cricket.
2. Another kind of injury occurs when the ball contacts the batsman’s face. This is known as a “face injury”.
3. Fielding injuries are not common in cricket, but they do happen here and there. If an opposing fielder comes running towards the striker only to trip him, that would be termed as a “fielder tripping” injury. If the fielder fails to catch the ball even though he was close enough to make the catch, then it is said to be a “dropped catch” injury. If a player runs out of the boundary without permission of the umpire, and the ball goes past him, he may receive a “runout” injury. If he does not touch the ball before trying to run and the ball rolls away from him, that would be a “bouncer” injury.
4. Collision injuries occur when two teammates bump into each other. Such collisions can lead to serious injuries like head and neck injuries, spinal cord injuries and fractures. Head injuries are usually fatal. Collisions in cricket are relatively rare. However, some incidents have been recorded. On September 3, 2008, Shane Warne suffered serious facial injuries when he collided with Pakistan player Shoaib Akhtar during the second test of the Australia vs Pakistan series.

Methods to reduce Injuries?

1. Injuries should not be allowed to happen! If someone gets injured playing cricket, he/she should immediately inform umpires about the injury. As soon as players receive notification about injuries they should stop the game and the injured player should be taken to hospital.
2. It is recommended that the batsman should stand behind the stumps at the time of ball release. This will make sure that the batsman does not get hit accidentally while standing on the ground during this period.
3. The bowler is responsible for ensuring that the wicket keeper is placed behind the stumps. It is recommended that bowlers should always keep their eyes open after bowling. Also, the bowler should give warning signals to the batsmen before releasing the ball.
4. All players should have proper footwear for protection. Players should wear protective gear (like helmet, pads, gloves) and take care of the field conditions.
5. Batting team should keep themselves fit and should play cricket regularly to improve batting skills. If a player has lost his confidence due to frequent injuries, then coaching sessions should be conducted.
6. There is no need to run between the wickets. A batsman should try to score runs by using his best technique. He should place himself well behind the crease and should not step out of the crease if he cannot drive the ball out of the infield.
7. Fielding team should concentrate on catching balls properly. Once the ball is caught by the fielder, he/she should throw the ball back to the striker. Strikers can easily catch the ball while still running.
8. Umpires should control pitches and fields carefully. Bowlers should follow the rules of the pitch. When fielding, the umpire should instruct the batters according to where the ball is likely to go.
9. Batting team should focus only on scoring runs. If a batsman hits a six, he should not celebrate it. Batsmen should not try to hit a boundary or slog sweep shot.
10. Play fair and friendly matches. If any rule is broken by either side, both sides should agree to call off the match.
11. Ensure the safety of wickets and players before starting a match.
12. After a successful finish, both teams should shake hands and congratulate each other.
13. Keep a record of your scores during the match and compare them

Keep your eye on the ball and bat

 The first thing you should do is keep your eyes on both the ball and bat when playing cricket. A proper stance is taken with feet slightly apart without any shuffling around. Your knees should not touch each other. You have to stand straight with your shoulders square to the pitch. There should be no leaning forward or backward when batting or standing still while bowling. If you lean over, then you might not get good control over the ball. Avoid using any type of protective gear while batting or bowling. Protecting the skull with headgear would make you less able to judge where the ball is located. While batting, if you swing the bat at full speed, you could hit yourself in the face. In case of a wide-leg catch, the fielder should run towards the boundary line before throwing the catch back to his partner. He should aim for catching the ball close to his body. When running after the ball, he should use his leg muscles to push himself along instead of his arms. The fielding team should concentrate on trying to get rid of the ball within 30 seconds of its completion to prevent further scoring.

 It is recommended to have a well thought out strategy before starting a game. The players should know what they want to achieve in the match. The scoreline should be kept in mind so that their performance is improved accordingly. The captain should give the signal to go only when he feels confident about his side's chances of winning. However, if the game is going badly and the opposition is leading by a big margin, he should try to change tactics and play a different style of cricket.

Don't panic after losing

 After losing a few matches consecutively, it becomes difficult to retain confidence. Therefore, it is best to remain calm and focused even though you feel low. Try to remember the fundamentals of the game. Think about how you can improve upon certain aspects of your game. After taking time off to refocus, you should find the motivation to perform better.

Be ready for a comeback

 A comeback starts with a positive mindset. Even if you lose a wicket, you should stay positive and think that things won't always be bad for you. If you start thinking negatively, you might get discouraged and eventually lose heart. Keep trying until you succeed.

Take care of your partner

 Cricket lovers often tend to argue with their partners. While arguing, they may hurt themselves and end up injuring their opponent. Such behavior should be avoided. If someone is injured, the player concerned should immediately stop the game.

Never throw the ball away

 If the bowler throws the ball away while running, the batsman can easily reach him. He should therefore take great care while running and ensure that he doesn't throw the ball away. Similarly, a catcher should never throw the ball away as it will help the batter to score runs.

Play fair

 Players should maintain fairness in the game. All players should respect the rules and regulations set forth by the umpire. Disobedience to these laws could lead to a penalty.

Following Attempts Should be Adopted to Avoid Injuries

1. Team selectors should keep their team’s strengths in mind before picking the best eleven players in the squad. Strength means not only physical stamina but mental toughness and tactical understanding. The Indian side had played well in the last few matches and was expected to win this match. The English side however were much stronger physically than India and they knew it would take a lot out of India if they won.
2. A balanced bowling attack is good for batting. If you have slow bowlers, then you need quick bowlers who can bowl short deliveries. Similarly, if you have fast bowlers, you need spinners. You do not want to have a strong bowler who bowls leg-spin because he will tire out batsmen. An ideal set of bowling partners would be two left-arm orthodox bowlers, one right-arm offspinner and one leg-spinner. All these three types of bowlers generate different ball speeds.
3. Batsman ship comes first. If a cricketer does not understand how to bat, then he cannot play cricket at any level. Every game of cricket is about timing your shots and being able to adjust according to what the situation demands.
4. Being consistent is half the battle won. Batting consistency requires discipline. Discipline helps you stay focused throughout the day. Practice makes perfect. Do not just expect to get runs when you bat; you need to train yourself to score consistently in tough situations.
5. A player should try his best while playing cricket. Good players always give their 100 percent. But if you do not try hard enough, then you might lose your wicket.
6. Playing cricket without giving 110 per cent is like going to war without proper training. That's why you need to practice and prepare properly in order for you to succeed.
7. When you fail in the field, look at it positively. Failing is learning. Learn something new from each loss. You may learn something new just from failing and losing!
8. As captain, you must lead from the front. In fact, your job is to make sure everyone follows you. By doing so, you will create a positive environment for everyone. 
9. Never underestimate anyone. 
10. Cricket is a game of skill. At times, luck also plays a role. If the umpires are fair and impartial, then you should not worry whether you are getting the decisions right or wrong.
11. Try not to overthink the game. Overthinking can really affect your performance. Focus on making the correct decision instead of worrying about the consequences.
12. Enjoy the game. There are many people watching and following the game. So enjoy it.
13. Play with passion, determination and commitment. And above all, never forget to smile.
14. Always keep calm and composed under pressure.

Few More Tasks Should be Adopted to Avoid Injuries!

There are few things to consider before deciding to play cricket match. First and foremost thing to do is to get ready with proper equipment and accessories. There should not be any fear about your safety while playing cricket match, but you need to know what and how to handle injuries. You should never go out without protective gear. If you have a cricket bat, helmet, chest protector, knee pads, shin guards, elbow pad, mouth guard, gloves, then you would be safe at least while you are batting. But remember, don't wear them if they are uncomfortable or obstruct your movement.

 When you start playing cricket, you may feel pain in many joints; especially knees and elbows. These pains generally occur due to improper use of protective gears. So try to take care of these problems before starting the game. To prevent injury, follow these tips:

1. Always keep your head cool.
2. Avoid bending your knees when running between wickets.
3. Keep your hand relaxed.
4. Protect your hands with gloves.
5. Don't grip the bat hard.
6. Try to hit straight and soft balls.
7. Use your thigh muscles to swing the bat after hitting the ball.
8. Take rest often.
9. Drink plenty of water.
10. Wear good shoes.
11. Do some stretching exercises.
12. Try to increase your stamina and improve your power.

I hope you have enjoyed this article!!!