Umpire Tony de Nobrega hospitalized after ball hits face in WA cricket match

In a shocking incident on the weekend, Western Australian cricket umpire Tony de Nobrega was hospitalized after being struck in the face by a straight drive during a third-grade match between North Perth and Wembley Districts in the West Australian Suburban Turf Cricket Association (WASTCA). 

The match, held at Charles Veryard Reserve, saw the unfortunate injury as the ball, hit fiercely by the batsman, made direct contact with de Nobrega’s face.

Despite the brutal blow, de Nobrega was fortunate not to suffer any broken bones. He spent the night in hospital for observation, with doctors monitoring his condition, as surgery remains a possibility. 

The WASTCA Umpires Association expressed their support for de Nobrega, wishing him a speedy recovery. 

They posted on Facebook, “Spending the night in hospital Tony was fortunate enough not to have had any broken bones however the doctors are keeping him under observation as surgery is not out of the question. We wish Tony all the best for a fast recovery from this terrible incident and look forward to him being up and about shortly. The umpiring team is right behind you mate. Rest up Tony.” 

This incident serves as a stark reminder of the risks cricket umpires face while officiating on the field. It’s not the first time that umpires have been hit by the ball while on duty. In 2019, 80-year-old umpire John Williams tragically died after being struck by the ball during a local match in Wales. In 2014, Israeli umpire Hillel Oscar also died after a ball ricocheted off the stumps and struck him in the head.

To mitigate such risks, several international umpires have adopted safety measures. Australian umpire Gerard Abood famously wore a helmet while officiating in Big Bash matches, while Bruce Oxenford, an international umpire with over 70 Test matches under his belt, became known for wearing a plastic forearm shield. Oxenford, who had discussed the growing dangers faced by umpires due to the increasing speed and force of modern cricket, came up with the idea after a fellow umpire, John Ward, was badly injured after being hit on the head during an India tour.

“I was lying in my hotel bed in Delhi earlier this year when I came up with this idea.My fellow umpire John Ward was on duty in India and had just been hit on the head and badly injured. He was in a bad way. We’d been talking for a long time about how we’re in the firing line and the ball is coming back harder and faster all the time. There’s been talk of helmets but I don’t really want to wear one because I think it will restrict my peripheral vision and hearing and also I don’t think I’m going to get hit in the face. The natural thing is to throw your hands up in front of your face and turn your head away when the ball comes at you but then I thought, ‘What if there’s something like an extended arm guard which would act as a shield?'” Oxenford had told the Daily Mail earlier.