Beuran Hendricks receives few stitches after being hit by ball during practice session

Sri Lanka and South Africa are scheduled to play three ODIs and as many T20Is starting from September 2. However, ahead of the start of the series, South Africa’s Beuran Hendricks had to deal with a freak accident. During the team’s practice session in Colombo at the weekend, Hendricks was hit in the face by a shot from hard-hitting Proteas teammate Dwaine Pretorius.

The incident happened during the first practice session of the Proteas on Friday. Fortunately, Hendricks did not need to be hospitalized. The 31-year-old had a black eye after getting hit by the ball. He was then cleared for concussion by the team doctors. After this, it remains to be seen if Hendricks makes it to the playing XI for the first ODI of the three-match series against Sri Lanka which is to be played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.

Beuran Hendricks opens up about the incident

The left-arm fast bowler was throwing a few deliveries to Dwaine Pretorius and a couple of others. Whilst that, Pretorius hit a ball quite hard that came and hit Hendricks at his face. The South Africa pacer stated that he tried to get his hands in the way but the ball slipped through his fingers and hit his eyes.

“Obviously Dwaine, who is very excited to be here and we know hits the ball quite hard, and I just threw one a little bit too full, a little bit too wide and it popped straight back at me at some speed. I went down and obviously everybody had a little bit of a shock, but it felt OK. I did not have much dizziness or anything like that, and I got tested by the doctors for concussion. Luckily the ball did not hit me too hard and I was cleared from a concussion, but I had to get these stitches,” Hendricks said as reported by Sowetan Live.

As a part of safety measures, the cricket governing body has put in place protocols for concussions. Hendricks lauded the entire thing and stated that owing to the protocols, the players are much more aware of the consequences.

“Since the protocols, we as players are much more aware now of what is going on around us, especially when it comes to being hit in the head. We can’t just be stubborn because we know what could happen from it. So I am happy with the way things went,” he added.