- Cricket umpire who suffered horrific injury says he feels like he ‘won the lottery’
- The umpire was hit on the head with a ball during a cricket match.
- He suffered horrible swelling to his face after being hospitalized.
A cricket umpire, who was hospitalized after being hit “just in the face” by a ball, revealed he came very close to losing one of his eyes as he spoke about the horrific injuries he suffered.
Tone DeNobrega, 64, is a senior Australian cricket umpire and was supervising a third grade match at Charles Veryard Reserve in North Perth on November 16, when the shocking incident occurred.
The Western Australian Suburban Lawn Cricket Association (WASTCA) said a direct shot had hit DeNobrega in the side of the face, causing the umpire to faint for several seconds.
DeNobrega was left on the non-forward side and was forced to spend two nights in the hospital.
He shared a gruesome image of the aftermath of his injuries, after being hit just below the eye, with one side of his face swollen.
“Tony was lucky not to suffer any fractures, but doctors are keeping him under observation because surgery is not ruled out,” said the referees’ association, before sending their best wishes to the referee after the “terrible incident.” ‘.
Perth referee Tony DeNobrega was hospitalized after a ball hit him in the face during a match last weekend.
DeNobrega (pictured) was hit with a “straight disc that came off the screws” and had to be rushed to the hospital.
Doctors feared the swelling could affect his breathing, and the referee avoided surgery to drain fluid around his face after his condition improved, before being discharged from hospital.
Speaking to 7News, DeNobrega has now opened up about the moment the ball hit him and the injuries he suffered, stating that he feels like he “won the lottery.”
“(My face) is still purple and swollen,” she told 7NEWS.com.au.
“It hit me just below the eye socket. 2cm above and I could have lost an eye, it was very, very close.
‘I’ve been saying I feel like I’ve won the lottery. There are no broken bones, just swelling.
“It was my lucky day.”
He claimed to have lost sight of the ball for a moment before collapsing to the ground. Incredibly, the referee had arranged for a replacement referee to take his place before he went to the hospital.
The referee has also had difficulty eating and speaking due to the swelling. You will go to the dentist to have your teeth checked.
There have been calls for referees to be given more protective equipment, including helmets, and Bruce Oxenford (pictured) is one referee who wears a Perspex protective shield.
In the last two weeks since the accident, the swelling has slowly gone down, but DeNobrega still has extensive bruising on his face.
The incident comes amid concerns over the safety of cricket umpires. Some reacted to the Referees Association’s Facebook message asking for helmets to be provided to referees.
For DeNobrega, the accident hasn’t changed his love for the game, but he said it has increased his fears of being hit again. He added that he will probably wear a helmet the next time he takes to the oval.
“The fear of being hit again is very high. I think (the helmet option is) important because the game has evolved,” he said.
“The bats are a lot thicker now and even though (the players) are not professional…the hitters still hit very cleanly.”
‘Officiating is in my blood and it is at the forefront of the game. “I love the game,” he said.
“I’ve seen players like Cooper Connolly and Josh Inglis play at youth level and now they play for Australia – you have the best seat on the ground.”
WASTCA president Brad Pearce has said the organization has taken steps to supply helmets to any referee who wants to wear them.
“There aren’t too many incidents, it doesn’t happen often, but it can be catastrophic,” he told 7NEWS.com.au.
“I think there will be some genuine interest.”