Melbourne Stars BBL player Sam Harper is in hospital after he was hit by a ball at training.
“Sam Harper was struck in the head whilst batting at training this evening at the MCG and subsequently taken to hospital in a stable condition,” the Stars posted on social media.
“We ask that you respect his privacy at this time. The club will provide further updates when they come to hand.”
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It’s understood the wicketkeeper was cut in the chin/neck area by the ball, which reared up to the vulnerable area below the grill of his helmet, and paramedics were called immediately.
Harper remains in hospital and will continue to undergo medical tests.
Concerningly, the right-hander wasn’t even facing any legitimate bowling — he was hitting throwdowns from a slinger that batting coaches use in the nets.
It’s believed several players were visibly emotional when the sickening hit occurred.
He was preparing for Saturday night’s BBL home game against the Sydney Sixers at the MCG, which Harper will now miss.
The former Melbourne Renegades player has a history of concussions and was sidelined for several weeks in 2017 after South Australia’s Jake Lehmann accidentally struck him in the head with his bat.
Harper spent almost a month in a dark hospital room afterwards and initially needed a walking frame.
The Victorian keeper called it “the worst three weeks” of his life.
In 2020, Harper was also hospitalised after he hit his head on the ground in a freak collision with Hobart Hurricanes player Nathan Ellis while playing for the Renegades.
Harper was hospitalised and became the first player to be subbed out of a BBL game.
Late in that year, he told The Age: “Hopefully, I can wrap the halo angel around my head for the next few years and, touch wood, there are no more incidents.”
The 27-year-old has had at least nine serious head knocks.
While Harper’s health is clearly the Stars’ top priority, they still have a game to play on Saturday night and, with no other recognised keeper in the squad, have brought in former skipper Peter Handscomb to take the gloves.
Handscomb last played for the franchise in 2019/20.
His selection also throws up an interesting subplot, given he was due to play a tour match for a Cricket Australia XI against West Indies on January 10-12.
The Stars are due to play on January 13 and, while there is no direct clash between the two, neither Cricket Australia nor Cricket Victoria (the Stars), are likely to be keen for him to play both.