Hayden suffers multiple head injuries in surfing accident

Test great Matthew Hayden said Monday he had "dodged a bullet" after suffering head and neck injuries, including a spine fracture, while surfing during a holiday in Queensland.

Hayden — a top-order batsman who was last year inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame — fractured his spine near the base of his neck, tore several ligaments and hurt his forehead after being dumped into a sandbank while surfing with his son Josh off North Stradbroke Island on Friday.

"Fractured C6, torn C5, C4 ligaments safe to say I truly have dodged a bullet," Hayden wrote in an Instagram post beside a photo of his battered face. "Thank you everyone. On the road to recovery."

The 46-year-old — who retired from international cricket in 2009 after a 103-Test career — told Brisbane's Courier Mail he was "bloody lucky" to escape serious injury.

"It was an hour into the session and we had had half dozen waves together and I got this one right handed wave which I sort of ducked under and that is pretty much all I can remember," he told the newspaper Monday.

 

 

 

 

 

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Ok. Last attention seeking post I promise. Just wanted to say a big thank you to all our mates on Straddie who have been so supportive.✅

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