It’s never a good time when a player gets hurt or injured on the cricket field, but thankfully occurrences of serious injury are rare. When they do happen, a quick and professional response is vital.

At the elite level there are always professional medics at matches, but for Affiliate and Associate sides, these services are a luxury that simply isn’t affordable.

Treatment for Sweden's Imran Amjad©CricketEurope

During an ICC Europe Division Two match between Malta and Sweden at Mechelen in Belgium in 2011, a tense T20 match was taking place. Rain had reduced the match to a 12-overs contest and Sweden chasing 96 to win, were 71 for 5 with 19 balls left when a fierce drive by Hassan Zaigham struck the non-striker, Imran Amjad in the face.

Amjad fell to the turf, clearly in some pain and distress. However, medical attention was quickly there as the batsman who had hit the ball, Zaigham, was a surgeon, while the umpire Mike Rawle was a paramedic. Also in the Swedish squad were a doctor and a dentist! Immediate treatment meant that Amjad, who retired hurt recovered well.

There was no happy ending on the field though as Malta won the match by 3 runs meaning they finished the eleven team tournament in last place.