Will new T20 competition increase pressure on cricketers and increase injury risk?

1. Will new T20 competition increase pressure on cricketers and increase injury risk? Will new T20 competition increase pressure on cricketers and increase injury risk? A new T20 competition is set to provide the biggest overhaul in English cricket since the sport was started. The city-based competition is said to be due to launch as early as next year and is designed to rival the Big Bash and IPL. The proposal submitted by officials of the England & Wales cricket board, has taken months to prepare. If it gets given the go-ahead, new teams will be able to take part in the tournament and the matches will be sold to broadcasters with an estimated one match each week being broadcast on terrestrial TV. However, could this new tournament increase pressure on cricketers and in turn increase their risk of injury? Some studies show Twenty20 cricket does not increase injury risk A study was actually carried out on Australian cricketers who partake in the Twenty20 competition back in 2010. Interestingly, it showed that players taking part in the competition were less likely to develop an injury than those partaking in other types of cricket games. It measured the injury rate of players based on 1000 days of play. Around 145 injuries occurred in domestic based Twenty20 cricket. When compared to the 219 injuries suffered by those playing in domestic one-day cricket, you quickly see that Twenty20 provides a much lower risk. Of course, that isn’t to say there is no risk involved. What studies have found is that fast bowlers taking part in Twenty20 cricket are at the biggest risk of developing shoulder-related injuries. Increased competition puts pressure on fast bowlers A study has found fast bowlers in cricket are at an increased risk of injury when their workload is increased. So, those taking part in T20 cricket could find themselves susceptible to shoulder injury. During the study, data was collected from a total of 28 fast bowlers. They had bowled for 43 seasons, over a period of six years.

2. The results of this study are unsurprising. After all, fast bowlers use more strenuous shoulder motions to deliver balls at high speeds. This, combined with a more frequent work schedule is going to increase the likelihood of injury pretty substantially. If the T20 competition is approved, coaches can decrease the risk of injury by rotating their bowlers. It is also suggested that the rules of the game should be altered to reduce the severity of injuries if they do occur. Overall, introducing this new competition in England could help to further give the game a boost and increase the amount of money made by teams. There is talk of new grounds being built at sites such as the Olympic Stadium, where fans would be able to purchase tickets for the games. However, it is important for coaches to take the increased risk of injury seriously. Cricketers are renowned for developing shoulder-related injuries and increasing the number of times they play is only set to make the risk even greater. Content Source