Cricketing injuries in children: from the trivial to the severe

To describe the nature of acute cricketing injuries in children presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary level children's hospital. Two cases of severe injuries during a cricket game are reported.

A retrospective review of presentations to the emergency department from 1993 to April 1998.

Sixty cases of cricketing injuries were reviewed. Injuries to the head, hands and forearms were most common. Most injuries were caused by being hit by a ball. A high proportion of cases required operative intervention. Length of stay in hospital was only overnight in most cases. The two case reports highlight unusual but severe injuries that caused significant morbidity to the patients involved.

Although cricket is, by and large, a safe sport, this report will raise awareness of the variety of injuries that can be suffered by children playing the game.