Recently during England’s Ashes tour down under Stuart Broad and Matt Prior saved one men who was attempting suicide on Sydney Harbour Bridge at 3 am in the morning. This was one bright spark in an otherwise dark winter for England and both individuals themselves.
So we have complied list of 10 cricketers who at some point have saved lives of fellow human beings.
10. Alex Blackwell
Former Aussie cricketer Alexandra Joy Blackwell was not only a good bat but also equally qualified medical practitioner. Blackwell multi-tasked her medical practice for four years while playing as a cricketer, came in to good use when she was playing league cricket in Berkshire. She used her medical knowledge when an 80-year-old spectator collapsed during a 2008 league match. “We continued CPR for nine minutes and we thought we’d lost him for a minute, but continued until the paramedics arrived,” recollects Blackwell as the man survived the collapse. Blackwell even went on to win that game!
9. Andrew Hall’s heroic ‘Rajnikanth’ Hand
According to ESPNCricinfo, Andrew Hall was shot at point-blank range during an assault in 1998 just before his debut. The remarkable thing about that incident is Hall took a bullet in his left hand as assaulter fired six shots at him at an ATM machine. Incredibly, the bullet which struck his hand didn’t cause serious damage as Hall recovered sufficiently to play cricket and went on to make his debut against the West Indies in 1999. This incident developed into an urban myth and Hall lived on to tell the tale. What saved him? Hall replies with immense satisfaction that his left hand, which deflected the first bullet – a.l.a this act reminds us of Rajnikanth’s heroics in his many films. Surely a film about Andrew Hall’s ‘Rajnikanth’ hand is on his way.
8. Bernard Thomas
Who says Test cricket is an easy game? Ask New Zealand tailender Ewan Chatfield, who made his debut in 1974-75 Test. A heart-broken Peter Lever, former England fast bowler, sat on the outfield with tears in his eyes thinking he had killed Ewan Chatfield after one of his bouncers struck him on the head. Chatfield had irritated England by playing for around 45 minutes, so Lever balled a short a ball which smashed Chatfield on temple. Chatfield collapsed on the ground twitching his tongue. Just then entered our hero on the scene – England physio Bernard Thomas who save Chatfield’s life with quick thinking. Thomas realising that Chatfield’s heart has stopped gave him mouth-to-mouth recovery technique and saved his life.
7. Phil Gregory
Phil Gregory, secretary of Brixham cricket club, bravely fought against robbers who punched him to the ground. The retired 66-year-old was walking home at about 9.30 pm fought back a wild assault and somehow managed to hung on to his bag which was full of cricket club members’ annual subs.
Ultimately, the two attackers understood they had met the wrong man and left the scene, leaving Gregory bruised.
Phil, who was awarded an MBE in 2007 for services to the community, said: “I’ve never been in a fight before in my life. I am quite surprised at my reaction.”
6. Chris Broad
It seems heroic acts run in the Broad family, as it was the quick thinking of Broad senior – Chris – during the now infamous 2009 terror attack which saved the life of Pakistan umpire Ahsan Raza after terrorist open fired at a mini-bus at the gates of the Gaddafi Stadium, Lahore. Stuart Broad’s father was a match referee during that series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
5. WG Grace
WG’s feats have become such a legend that it is no surprise he finds the place in this list. Grace, who is known as father of modern batsmanship, and brought back-foot game to cricket, this man still baffles many as he opened the batting for England at the age of 50. Dubbed as the ultimate multi-tasker he qualified as a doctor in 1879. He used his studies to great effect when a Lancashire fielder was stabbed on the boundary fence at Old Trafford. Grace promptly saved life, and added another paragraph in the history. Wow, this man never ceases to amaze me.
4. Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar is dubbed as God by Indian fans. Hence just like that God Sachin also helped his former Indian under-17 team-mate Dalbir Singh Gill after latter met with a road accident, but struggled to pay the money for his operation. At that time, his mother called on Sachin. The Littler Master, as he often does when his team-mates come calling, helped his college pay the fee. After that incident it won’t be an exaggeration to consider Sachin the Indian equivalent of 999, always ready to help during an emergency. Did you expect anything less?
3. Sir Frank Worrell
The year 1962 put the then West Indies captain Frank Worrell in the news when Worrell met the Indians which brought out the sporting qualities of Frank Worrell to the fore. The Indian captain – Nariman Jamshedjia.ka. “Nari” Contractor – a left-handed opening batsman was hit on the head by a bouncer from West Indies fast bowler Charlie Griffith in the Barbados. The injury was so serious that Contractor was forced to move to hospital. At that time West Indies skipper Frank Worrell also went to the hospital where Contractor was fighting for his life and donated his blood.
2. ShoaibAkhtar
On January 12, 2000, Brisbane Pakistan’s controversial fast bowler was signing autographs outside Gabba straight after Pakistan versus India match when he noticed the nine-year-old boy walking onto the road. Seeing that a taxi was running towards the boy, Akhtar ran towards that boy and pulled him out of the way.
1. Matt Prior and Stuart Broad
Seeing how heroic his father was how can Broad Junior stay behind? At 3 am in the night when Broad and his team-mate and England wicket-keeper Matt Prior saw who were returning back from an event during last year’s Ashes saw a man on the Pyrmont Bridge attempting a suicide, the England duo rescued by intervening in the matter and wrestled him back from the edge of the bridge before counselling him for almost an hour until and stayed with that man until the cops came. An inspiring bright tale in what otherwise was a dark winter for England.
