Print

[RightArmRapid]

I injured my shoulder around may 2013 very early on in the season causing me to miss the 2013 cricket season, had a minor knee injury prior to the 2014 season which caused me to miss the start of the season only to come back and tear my labrum in June! Now around 10 months removed from any kind of injury and having completed my physio, I've been told I can start playing cricket again My problem is after 2 years without any kind of cricket I'm bound to suck and wouldn't want to bring down the team in any way, do you think it's realistic to shoot for playing in matches again by late may-mid June or should I reevaluate to the end of the season? Any help is much appreciated.

(My sincerest apologies if this is shoddily written but it's past midnight and I'm awfully tired so I'll clean it up in the morning)

[ilanz_bess]

Think you should just back yourself bro, and play. If you're not enjoying yourself or you're hampering the team, then and only then should you reevaluate.

If you're really being picky, maybe you can start with some friendlies and see how things go...

Either way, congrats on being back from such a lengthy layoff and hope you do well, and manage to stay injury free.

[ProCricketer1982]

1) well done for getting over multi injury setbacks

As for the rest, main thing is to ensure you've built your fitness, strength (you don't need to be a gym queen as that's poser strength not useful strength) and flexibility. Basically, try and injury proof yourself. Train hard at nets, play friendlies and at the end of May reassess. Your club (or one local) must have a team near the bottom diva? Maybe play there for a game or two simply to get time in the body etc, reacquaint yourself with the game, fielding etc.

Most of all, enjoy it 😄

[Akewstick]

When you say reevaluate at the end of the season, a season spent doing what? Nets? Nothing?

Yeah, you're going to have to take the plunge and come back at some point, why put it off? I'd hate to take ages about getting back to it and found I didn't need to. The only thing you really need to be careful to avoid is getting injured again.

Couldn't you get a spot for a lower team or on a sunday to see how it does?

[Chalkie]

Totally agree with the other posts about getting some time in the nets and playing some lower level games to get match fit - thats what you hear all the pro sportsmen doing after a long layoff. Once you are satisified you are over the injuries and have put in a couple of good performances then you could put yourself forward to play the higher level, unless you are enjoying the lower leagues too much 

[KarlPennington]

It's different for pro sportsmen though they are assetts to their team. That's why so much caution is excercised, if they get injured their value drops. For us amateur sportsmen it's up to us to judge the potential risks and rewards for ourselves...

[RightArmRapid]

little update: gotten a net session in, experiencing some discomfort in the shoulder but i believe that's just due to the lack of bowling over the past 2 years, looks like I'll be batting in matches before I'm bowling but it's just a huge relief to be playing some form of cricket again.