Share

Boult: Bouncer blows are 'part of game'

Wellington - New Zealand paceman Trent Boult on Tuesday described seeing team-mate Mitchell McClenaghan felled by a bouncer as "stomach churning" and "scary", but insisted such deliveries are an intrinsic part of the game.

McClenaghan was poleaxed during the Black Caps' win over Pakistan in Wellington on Monday when an Anwar Ali delivery smashed through his helmet grille, fracturing his left eye socket.

The injury revived painful memories of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes' death after a ball struck his head in 2014, with Boult saying he did not want to dwell on McClenaghan's injury.

"It's never a nice sight to see one of your team-mates down on the ground, it's pretty scary, (but) it's just part of the game, it's been going on for years," he told reporters.

"It's just a shame it happened yesterday.

"It still churns your stomach a little bit to see stuff like that happen and it's hard to talk about to be honest but we've jut got to move on, it's just part of the game and it's always going to happen."

Boult said modern helmets did not allow the ball to pierce the grille, but McClenaghan was wearing older style headgear with a slightly larger gap.

McClenaghan retired hurt and will not take part in the rest of the three-match series against Pakistan.

New Zealand won the opening one-dayer by 70 runs and the second ODI will be held in Napier on Thursday.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Barcelona 1
Paris SG 2
loading... Live
Borussia Dortmund 2
Atletico Madrid 1
Voting Booth
How much would you be prepared to pay for a ticket to watch the Springboks play against the All Blacks at Ellis Park or Cape Town Stadium this year?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
R0 - R200
33% - 1804 votes
R200 - R500
32% - 1767 votes
R500 - R800
19% - 1067 votes
R800 - R1500
8% - 451 votes
R1500 - R2500
3% - 184 votes
I'd pay anything! It's the Boks v All Blacks!
4% - 248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE