Brendon Matthews has spoken of his regret at his decision not to wear a helmet for the first time in his career after being struck and left with a fractured cheekbone.
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Matthews was playing for Quirindi against Gunnedah on Sunday when from what he has been told he went to play a pull shot and got a top edge which "collected me".
"I wear a helmet every other day, but for some reason I didn't," he said.
"I can only put it down to a poor decision..... it's something I've got to live with, and just knowing things could've been a lot worse is really scary."
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"I have more important things in my life then cricket, like my family, and I took that for granted yesterday (Sunday) by not wearing a helmet.
"It's just not worth the risk."
He had only faced a handful of balls at the time, but was feeling pretty good and after picking up a first ball duck for Bective-East the previous day was looking "to be a bit aggressive and take the game to Gunnedah early on".
It's the first time he has ever been hit in the head in over two decades playing with the hard ball, and while he didn't ever lose consciousness it was scary for a moment.
"It was just below the temple so it was really scary at first, because you lose a bit of vision and think the worse," he said.
But he was able to, aided by some of the Gunnedah players, walk off the field.
"The umpires were great and the Gunnedah players," he said.
Someone in the crowd also kindly donated the ice they were using to keep their beers cold.
Struggling to see out of his right eye, Matthews said he knew straight it was pretty bad.
After going up to the Gunnedah hospital he was then transferred by ambulance to Tamworth.
At this stage he said it doesn't look like he will require surgery, although he will know more when he visits his GP on Tuesday.
Whatever the result he is looking at a minimum six weeks with no cricket.
Missing out on not only playing for the Bulls, but in the new Friday night Twenty20 competition as well as the next couple, at least, Connolly Cup games for Quirindi, who after returning to the rep cricket scene last season after three years in the wilderness are "building nicely", it is sure to be a long six weeks.
He already "can't wait" to get back out there again.
"Yesterday when I went off all I wanted to find out was the score and how we were going," Matthews said.
Gunnedah went on to pick up the win.
After making 196 with Matt Agostino notching his maiden district half-century (59), skipper Blake Small chipping in with 37 and Farran Lamb 27, they then dismissed Quirindi for 94.
Garry Briggs led the charge with 3-17 while Vinnie and Braithen Winsor both picked up two wickets.
Ash White was meanwhile "very unlucky" Small said, the young quick losing a bit of confidence after hitting Matthews.
He still only went for 14 runs from his 10 overs and bowled three maidens in that.
In a positive for Quirindi they did almost bat out the 50 overs, Todd Burgess top-scoring for them with 29.
