Melbourne Stars all-rounder and former Australia international Hilton Cartwright was taken to hospital after suffering a worrying neck injury during Sunday's Big Bash League opener. Cartwright, 32, was fielding at deep point in Melbourne's clash with Perth Scorchers when he tried to stop Cooper Connolly's shot from going for four runs. Diving towards the boundary rope at Optus Stadium, Cartwright hit the ground at force.
Appearing to be in serious pain, the ex-Middlesex and Derbyshire player was seen holding his head. His team-mate, Marcus Stoinis, quickly gestured for medical staff as the stadium fell silent. "He doesn't look in a good way – fingers crossed it's nothing too serious," Englishman Joe Clarke, who plays for the Stars as well as Nottinghamshire, told Fox. "I think it looks more like he's hit his head on the ground when he's dived in.".
Commentator Mike Hussey added: "It doesn't seem fair does it, the effort he put in. He must have sprinted nearly 40 metres and dived full stretch only to injure himself. You don't want to be losing someone the calibre of Hilton Cartwright this early in the tournament, he is a crucial part of this team.".
Melbourne's medics turned Cartwright over but didn't lift him off the ground. The 32-year-old was then put in a neck brace, with a stretcher and medical cart being used to take him off the field after a 10-minute stoppage before play resumed. Fox's touchline reporter, Kath Loughnan, later confirmed: "The Stars have just told us that Hilton Cartwright is off to hospital, initially we thought it was that left shoulder but he spent a fair few minutes on the ground clutching at his neck.
