Cricket

An estimated 572,000 Australians aged 15 and over played cricket in 2020–21 (ASC, 2021).  There were 1,250 injury hospitalisations attributed to cricket—1,160 male and 90 female. For those aged 15 and over, the hospitalisation rate was about 190 per 100,000 participants.

The age-standardised rate of injury hospitalisations increased between 2019–20 and 2020–21, after having been on a slight downward trend since 2013–14 (Figure 1).

Figure 1: Trend in cricket injury hospitalisations, by sex, 2011–12 to 2020–21

Visualisation not available for printing

For more detail, see data tables B3–4.

The highest number of hospitalisations was in the 35–39 age group (Figure 2).

Figure 2: Age distribution of cricket injury hospitalisations, 2020–21

Column graph showing the age distribution of injury hospitalisations.

Source: AIHW NHMD.

For more detail, see data table A14.

Over half of the hospitalisations were fractures (56%) (Figure 3).

Figure 3: Cricket injury hospitalisations, by type of injury as a proportion, 2020–21

Bar graph showing the proportion of injury hospitalisations by main type of injury.

Note: Type of injury is derived from the principal diagnosis.
Source: AIHW NHMD.

For more detail, see data table A25.

There were 38 hospitalisations for concussion.

The main injury was to the hand or wrist in about 4 out of 10 cases (43%), and to the head or neck in about 2 in 10 cases (19%) (Figure 4).

Figure 4: Cricket injury hospitalisations, by principal body part injured, as a proportion, 2020–21

Outline of a person with body regions labelled, marked with the percentage of hospitalised injuries for each region.

'Notes
1. Body part injured is derived from the principal diagnosis.
2. ‘Trunk’ includes thorax, abdomen, lower back, lumbar spine & pelvis.

Source: AIHW NHMD.

For more detail, see data table A26.

Sports equipment incidents, such as being hit by the ball, were the most common cause of injury (Figure 5).

Figure 5: Cause of injury as a proportion when specified, cricket injury hospitalisations, 2020–21

Bar graph showing the proportion of hospitalisations by cause of injury when specified. Sports equipment 59%25.

Source: AIHW NHMD.

For more detail, see data table A27.

Seasonal differences

As a summer sport, cricket tends to see injury hospitalisations peak in late spring and summer (Figure 6).

Figure 6: Cricket injury hospitalisations by month of admission, 2017–18 to 2020–21

Line graph with 4 lines for 4 financial years of hospitalisations by month of admission.

For more detail, see data table B3.