After being struck on the face by a cricket ball, England Test captain Ben Stokes says he is “quite lucky” to be alive.
While teaching academy players at his county team Durham in February, all-rounder Stokes was struck by the ball during a net session, resulting in a shattered cheekbone.
Stokes is scheduled to participate in two first-class County Championship games next month after undergoing surgery, but he disclosed that the situation could have been far worse.
“I copped one straight in the face,” AFP quoted the 34-year-old telling the England and Wales Cricket Board.
“Pretty nasty but, funnily, probably the best result of a bad situation, to be honest. Just a couple of inches one way or the other, I might not be here doing this interview, if I didn’t turn my head round.
“All things considered, although I had pretty major facial surgery to sort it out, it was a bit of a mess under here (cheekbone), I’ve got out quite lucky. So pretty thankful for that.”
He added: “Obviously it set everything back about a month, five weeks, with getting back to where I wanted to be to play at the start of the season for Durham, but just had to sort of quickly go back to the drawing board and put a plan together to get me ready to play a couple of games for Durham before the Test summer starts.
“At the back end of all that now but it was a pretty scary situation. Thankfully still here and everything’s all right.”
In an attempt to bounce back from their 1-4 Ashes humiliation in Australia, Stokes is anticipated to be fit to captain England in the first Test of their home season against New Zealand at Lord’s beginning on June 4.
