By Jonathan BarnesA CRICKETER is recovering after suffering a freak injury when he collided with a team-mate during a match.Bury St Edmunds 2nd XI player Stuart Fisher, 21, was sliding to stop a ball in the outfield when he crashed into Mick Sturgeon, who was also trying to field the ball.

By Jonathan Barnes

A CRICKETER is recovering after suffering a freak injury when he collided with a team-mate during a match.

Bury St Edmunds 2nd XI player Stuart Fisher, 21, was sliding to stop a ball in the outfield when he crashed into Mick Sturgeon, who was also trying to field the ball.

He suffered a badly-damaged leg in the accidental collision and, when he tried to stand up, his tibia bone snapped in two.

Mr Fisher is now hoping he can delay his final year exams at Loughborough University, which start this week, until he is back on his feet.

The accident happened as Mr Fisher was playing in a Two Counties League match against Sudbury at the Victory Ground in Bury St Edmunds on Saturday.

He said: "I was fielding at 'cow corner' and Mick was at deep mid-wicket and as I slid to stop the ball, my shin took the full impact of the collision.

"The break didn't happen straightaway, a few of the players felt my leg and when I went up on it, I felt the bone snap.

"It was so painful I was given some drugs to take the pain away. But at least we stopped the boundary – that was the main thing"

Paramedics tended to Mr Fisher, from Chedburgh, near Bury St Edmunds, on the pitch and he spent two nights in West Suffolk Hospital before returning home yesterday.

"It was a clean break, so I've got my whole leg in plaster and it will be like that for a few weeks. It's a bit uncomfortable as I'm 6ft 3in and I can't bend my leg," he said.

"I'm supposed to have three exams this week and three next week, but I won't be able to do them now and I've called the university to tell them about it. It is very bad timing.

"I have never had an injury playing cricket before and I was only playing in this game because I was back home for revision week."

Mr Fisher, a specialist batsman and regular in the 2nd XI, has had lots of "get well soon" cards and text messages from friends and team-mates since the accident.

"I'm hoping I might get back to play a few games before the end of the season, but unfortunately it is not looking too likely at the moment," he added.

n A motorcyclist survived a 60mph crash into a wooden fence to finish third in a race.

Darren Rolph, 21, from Braintree, was taking part in the International Grass Track Meeting at Collier Street, Kent, on Sunday.

Mr Rolph chose the wide line in his third race, but on the end of his third lap spectacularly collided with the fence at 60mph.

He managed to stay on the machine to finish in third place, despite snapping off his foot rest in the accident.

jonathan.barnes@eadt.co.uk