Former Australian cricketer Matthew Hayden suffered a spinal fracture in a surfing accident during the weekend and said he had “dodged a bullet”. He also suffered head and neck injuries.
Hayden was surfing with his son Josh in Stradbroke Island, off Brisbane, when the accident happened. He posted pictures of his injuries on Instagram and said that it was “game over for a few days”.
Former South Africa cricketer Jonty Rhodes, meanwhile, commented on Hayden's Instagram post, comparing the abrasions on his forehead to the Tamil Nadu coast. Other Instagram users appreciated Rhodes's sense of humour.
Hayden is seen in a neck brace and injuries on his face. He captioned the image by thanking his friends who were supportive. “Fractured C6, torn C5, C4 ligaments safe to say I truly have dodged a bullet. Thank you everyone. On the road to recovery.”
Hayden told the Brisbane tabloid, The Courier Mail, that he was knocked on to the sandback on top of his head when he ducked under one of the dozen waves. “It twisted my head with my own weight and the weight of the wave. I heard this god almighty click in my neck. I did not get knocked out but I sort of came to and rolled up on my back.”
Hayden managed to get back, and had scans taken to determine the extent of his injuries. He said he was “bloody lucky” to escape serious injury. However, he has vowed to return to surfing post recovery.
