Injury epidemic forces changes to Kiwi preparations

Injuries to leading New Zealand cricketers have forced a complete re-evaluation of the way players are tested for fitness by New Zealand Cricket.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) chief executive Christopher Doig said today in a media briefing in Christchurch that it was clear players were fitter aerobically than ever before. But he had not been convinced that the cricketer regards himself as an athlete as much as a rugby player or track athlete might.

"The injury scenario causes us great anxiety and it has caused us to re-evaluate the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of players.

"The conditioning of the athlete in cricket needs review," he said.

It was vital for New Zealand not to leave less to chance than has been the case throughout its cricket history.

"Our measurements are less stringent than other sports. Rugby people like John Graham and Gilbert Enoka who have come into cricket are staggered at the mental pressure cricketers are put under.

"It has also been found that a cricketer loses condition while he is on tour," he said.

While rugby players had two games a week and could train on the others, cricketers were often playing six days a week and travelling on the seventh.

Daniel Vettori, Chris Cairns, Geoff Allott and Dion Nash had played through injuries, and continued to play through when other countries would have put them out to pasture.

"We've tended to leave too much to chanced in terms of players' conditioning. We need to oversee our players' winter conditioning," he said.

Doig added that he felt players were only now starting to understand what it meant to be a professional. While he didn't think players were being dishonest about their state of health before going on tours he did think there was a degree of naivete.

But great efforts were being made to understand especially the back problems bowlers are suffering, by getting all the information available from around the world.

He also said medical staff who have arrangements with NZC would have much tighter contracts to deal with injury concerns.