INJURY RETURN

Luke Fletcher cleared to return to cricket

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

Fletcher was hit flush on the head by a straight drive from Sam Hain. © Getty

Luke Fletcher, the Nottinghamshire pacer, has been cleared to return to cricket training by doctors, it was confirmed on Thursday (December 14). Fletcher was hit on the head during the Natwest Twenty20 Blast game versus Birmingham Bears.

Sam Hain drove the ball straight back at the bowler and Fletcher was hit trying to take evasive action. Immediately after the blow, Fletcher's head was wrapped up in a towel while walking off the field. As the umpires immediately called for medical assistance, the pacer appeared conscious while being assisted off the field by the physio and was later taken to a hospital.

He was subsequently ruled out of the season. "It's very pleasing to finally get the nod to start full training again," said Fletcher. "I've felt pretty good throughout once things settled down, but it's nice to get the official word that everything is okay.

"It will be great to be able to play football again with the rest of the lads, face bowling in the nets and ease back into my programme. The consultant says he's really happy with how things are looking. I have passed all the computer tests I have been doing at the hospital and there has been improvement since the injury back in July."

Earlier in July, while recovering from the injury, Fletcher had acknowledged how he was extremely lucky to survive the blow. "In a weird way, I suppose I've been lucky. It's hit me on a part of the brain or skull that the surgeon said you don't use much," he had said. "The doctors said I pretty much dodged a bullet. A few inches to the left or right and it could have been a completely different story. If it had hit the temple or straight in the face then... I don't really want to think about what may have happened."

"I remember letting go of the ball and I could see that Hain backed away. I didn't see the ball one bit. I just felt it.

"When it hit me I went down and was waiting to go unconscious. When I realised I was alright, I had my hand on my head and the physio, James Pipe, was asking 'how are you?' I said 'I don't feel too bad to be honest.' And then I lifted my hand off my head. Steven Mullaney ran off - and a few other lads ran off - because of the bleeding. But I got to my feet pretty quickly and never really felt unstable at all and walked off."

Fletcher, in his off time, has worked his way towards earning a Level 3 coaching qualification.

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