Perth Scorchers paceman Matt Kelly says he feared he had suffered a severe harm after being struck flush on the face throughout a freak fielding mishap final month.
Kelly was on the non-striker’s finish able to catch a fielder’s return throw when the ball ricocheted off Aaron Finch’s bat and cannoned straight into the bowler’s face.
The 28-year-old crumpled to the turf and was left bloodied and concussed – ruling him out of final week’s qualifying ultimate win over the Sydney Sixers.
Kelly has now totally recovered, and can return for Saturday’s grand ultimate at Optus Stadium if he earns the choice nod forward of spinner Peter Hatzoglou.
“It was pretty scary. It wasn’t nice to be a part of,” Kelly mentioned of the fielding mishap.
“I’ve only looked back at it once and I don’t intend to watch it again.
“It’s not too nice to talk about. I do remember the ball coming in and hitting me, and then there’s a bit of a blank spot there.
“I was lucky I didn’t lose all my teeth and that my jaw was fine, so I’m very grateful.
“I had stitches on the outside of my mouth, and then quite a big cut inside my mouth. But other than that I was fine, apart from the concussion symptoms.
“Once I knew I had no major damage, I was relatively calm about it.”
With Lance Morris flying off to hyperlink up with Australia’s Test squad, both Kelly or Hatzoglou will get the choice nod for the decider.
Hatzoglou is but to take a wicket in his 4 appearances in Perth this season, whereas Kelly has snared 5 scalps in 5 matches at Optus Stadium.
“Unfortunately that’s the nature of sport,” Kelly mentioned of the choice squeeze.
“We’re all competitive people and we want to play all the time.
“We love being part of this group. To have success you’re going to have to make sacrifices, and that means selection dilemmas.
“I’m glad I’m not making that decision.”
The Scorchers, winners of 4 BBL titles, will face the winner of Thursday night time’s conflict between the Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
