Adelaide Strikers’ wicketkeeper Bridget Patterson experienced a painful and scary moment on the cricket field after a ball struck her eye during a Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) match. The incident occurred on 29th October during a match against the Sydney Sixers, leaving both players and spectators in shock.
Patterson was keeping wickets when the unexpected accident took place. It was a routine delivery in the fourth over, bowled by Darcy Brown, but it resulted in a serious injury after an unpredictable bounce caused the ball to strike Patterson directly in the right eye.
A Promising Start Before the Incident
The Adelaide Strikers had batted first in the match and put up a strong total of 171 runs on the board. Patterson had already made a significant contribution to her team’s score, hitting an impressive 44 runs from just 32 balls. Her innings included six boundaries and one powerful six, setting the foundation for Adelaide’s competitive total. Amanda Jade Wellington also played a quickfire knock of 40 runs from just 16 balls, pushing the team to a commanding position.
However, despite Patterson’s solid performance with the bat, her day took a turn for the worse behind the stumps.
A High Bounce and a Painful Injury
While Sydney Sixers were chasing the target, the terrifying moment occurred in the fourth over of their innings. The Sixers had already lost one wicket when Alice Perry attempted to hit a delivery from Darcy Brown. She missed the shot, and the ball was traveling towards wicketkeeper Patterson. But due to uneven bounce, the ball suddenly rose higher than expected, catching Patterson off-guard.
Patterson, who had crouched low to collect the ball, was struck directly in the eye as the ball unexpectedly bounced up. She immediately covered her face with her gloves, clearly in immense pain. Medical staff rushed to the field as Patterson lay on the ground, groaning from the impact. Blood began to flow from her injury, causing concern among teammates and spectators.
The situation looked serious as blood could be seen near her ear and head. With assistance, Patterson was escorted off the field for further medical evaluation.
Positive Update on Patterson’s Condition
After the match, Adelaide Strikers’ coach Luke Williams gave an update on Patterson’s condition, offering some reassurance. According to him, the injury was indeed painful, but it wasn’t as severe as initially feared. He mentioned that Patterson was expected to recover soon and had avoided any major damage to her eye.
In Patterson’s absence, substitute wicketkeeper ER Johnston took over behind the stumps, and the match continued. Despite the injury setback, Adelaide Strikers went on to secure a thrilling victory, winning the match by 11 runs. Sydney Sixers’ Alice Perry scored 54 runs from 28 balls, while Sarah Bryce added 62 runs, but their efforts weren’t enough to take the team across the line.
This victory marked Adelaide Strikers’ first win of the season, while it handed Sydney Sixers their first loss in the WBBL 2024.
