Four London Saints in hospital

Sunday, April 2, 2006

Tests confirmed today that LSSC all-rounder Paul Wathan broke his finger in two places on the cricket tour of Sri Lanka. He is being kept at UCH Hospital in London pending emergency surgery following the squad's return last night.

The X-ray came after Wath, 45, stopped a ball on the boundary. Doctors expressed surprise that a) he didn't know he had broken his finger and b) that Wath stopped a boundary. "I'm starving," texted Wath from his hospital bed to fellow Sri Lanka squad members. "Anyone want my season ticket for tomorrow?"

The news follows the hospitalization of Mick Stanley, 48, in Sri Lanka for a dislocated finger and that of Steve Keenan, 48, and John Griffiths, 42, who both stepped on sea urchins while on a post-match break in the south of the island. Squad skipper Dave Thomas denied the ages of his team had anything to do with the rash of injuries. "It's a co-incidence that these setbacks had anything to do with a bunch of middle-aged blokes on the lash in temperatures of 35C. I have every confidence in the squad's ability to be ready for the new season in June."

* Stop press; Wath released from hospital after 12 hours when 2nd doctor opinion was : "What are you doing here?" Fingers strapped and Wath spotted at Derby game. * Go to www.timesonline.co.uk/travellogs for more medical and tsunami-related reports from the tour