Horror head-clash in Caribbean T20

14 Jul 2016 Dave Middleton

Ambulance called onto Barbados outfield after sickening outfield collision between fielders

UPDATE: West Indies batsman Kieran Powell is nursing a concussion after a sickening head-clash in the Caribbean Premier League in Barbados today.

Powell was driven from the field in an ambulance after he collided heavily with fellow St Kitts & Nevis Patriots player JJ Smuts as both men rushed at the ball in an attempt to catch a lofted drive from Barbados Tridents batsman AB de Villiers.

Speaking after the match, St Kitts captain Faf du Plessis said: "I haven’t seen him, he’s back somewhere but I’ve heard he’s okay he’s not too bad."

A release from the CPL after the match confirmed the Windies batsman had suffered a concussion.

"He is being closely observed by the medical staff, and was unable to bat," the statement read.

Smutts was first to his feet after the collision, with the South African deemed to have recovered sufficiently to open the batting for St Kitt's run chase in Powell's absence shortly after.

De Villiers stars in dramatic CPL match

De Villiers had been in classic form, racing to a half-century and was on 67 in the 19th over when he smashed Alzarri Joseph's ball towards the long-on boundary.

Powell raced around from his position on the fence at a straight long-on and Smuts came from the opposite direction and both players collided heavily, with Powell bearing the brunt of the impact, as well as landing heavily with his head appearing to bang the ground.

Image Id: ~/media/302A1E38676A41B8A4F42ADBEF22CF03 Image Caption: The immediate aftermath // screengrab Image Id: ~/media/47BB78E4219445D1837ECA20D896ED67 Image Caption: Smutts (left) and Powell collide // screengrab

Both players lay prone on the outfield turf as players and support staff from both teams rushed to their add. Stretchers were quickly called and an ambulance drove onto the Kensington Oval to continue treatment.

Image Id: ~/media/853044776A7D48558C9073C2C3C3F075 Image Caption: Powell was able to sit up on the stretcher before he was loaded into an ambulance // screengrab

De Villiers finished with 82 from 54 balls, with nine boundaries and three sixes as Barbados posted 6-180 in the T20 clash.

The South African great had earlier been rattled with a bouncer from Jospeh that clattered into the grill on his helmet. But de Villiers recovered quickly and hit the next ball for one of his sixes.

In the final over de Villiers deposited a ball onto the roof of the grandstand for his final six before getting caught in the deep next ball.

St Kitts fell 25 runs short in the chase, despite impressive batting from du Plessis (42 off 34) and Jonathan Carter (46 off 38).

The Patriots' next match is against Jamaica in Kingston on July 16 (Sunday 9am AEST).