“I had to fight so hard with England. I was bashed and bashed with my England career and, just as I start to come good – and I was going to come good this summer – this happens. It sums up my international career.“
Just for a moment the tears flow. He insists, though, that he wants to continue the interview and soon is reflecting more on the glory of his achievements than the pain of what he has lost. To have captained his country, to have scored a century at international level against Australia, to have played a full part in a series win against the No. 1-ranked Test team in their own backyard: these are tremendous accomplishments.
“I always think of the positives,” he says, managing a rueful smile. “This could have happened when I’m 20. I wouldn’t have played for England, scored centuries for England or captained England. My last full game was in an England shirt and I scored a century.”
‘Might someone at Nottinghamshire have called an ambulance earlier in the day, when he was still in Cambridge? The physio had thought fit to provide him with oxygen in the dressing room, after all. Why risk letting him travel back before seeing a doctor? And, most of all, having allowed him to return home, why simply drop him off at the ground? His mother subsequently found him lying at the foot of a flight of stairs that leads to the players’ dining room. This story could easily have had a much darker ending.’
I know he wanted to avoid going to the hospital at first but this is really worrying.
I’m not a big crier at stuff but this had me going ;_; Idk why but him saying it could’ve happened to him at 20, and he’d never have had an England career at all, really got me. To have achieved so much, maybe with the possibility of this lurking inside him all the time, is incredible. What a guy. I’m so thankful he’s still with us.
suchasinistergame 