Former Sussex and Middlesex opening batsman Toby Radford wasn’t aware that he’d been walking under too many ladders or driven over a black cat or two in the past 12 months – but he reckons he’s surely done something to upset someone

Mike Vimpany (as published in Daily Echo)23-May-2002Former Sussex and Middlesex opening batsman Toby Radford wasn’t aware that he’d been walking under too many ladders or driven over a black cat or two in the past 12 months – but he reckons he’s surely done something to upset someone.Luck and Radford, it seems, don’t go hand in hand, particularly when it comes to picking up injuries on the cricket field.Radford, who spent four seasons on the professional circuit before becoming one of the ECB’s top national coaches, missed almost all of Hungerford’s 2001 season with a serious back ailment.If he thought that switching clubs to table-topping Andover would change his luck and fortune, he was sadly wrong.Last Sunday he made his debut for the Hampshire Cricket Board in the ECB 38-County Championship against the Channel Islands and ended the day in an all too familiar place … a hospital casualty ward !Radford, running in from the backward square-leg boundary, fractured his wrist in a head-on fielding collision with Richard Dibden – the pair going full tilt for a high catch.Dibden ‘escaped’ with concussion, but was in no state to comprehend that the nine-batsman Board team, chasing 241 to win, had pulled off a thrilling five-wicket victory.Recalling the collision, which has put him firmly in the Andover sidelines for the next six weeks, Radford said : “It was Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie (Australia v Sri Lanka) all over again.”It could have been a lot worse. There could easily have been broken legs or collar bones.”Whatever it was, it was certainly painful.””I had to do an enormous amount of core stability work – effectively strengthening stomach muscles to help support my spine – and fitness training to overcome last year’s sciatica problem”It meant a lot of running and cycling to help maintain aerobic fitness.”Now, I’ve got my left wrist in plaster, can’t play cricket and can only type with my little finger – and I’m off work for six weeks !” he groaned.Ironically, Radford only made his Andover SPL debut the previous day, but didn’t get a bat in the 48-run victory at Liphook & Ripsley, which put Roger Miller’s side top of the log for the first time in their history.Radford and prospective policeman Jerry Hayward were both set to miss today’s top-of-the-table meet against Havant at London Road.”It’s obviously a major blow losing someone of Toby’s experience,” said a disappointed Miller, who knows he won’t have Radford back until well into the all-day ‘time’ cricket format.”It’s not only his batting, but his general experience and tactical know how on the field that will be missed.”Nonetheless, Andover have started the season in great style, with wins over South Wilts and Calmore Sports preceding the victory at Liphook.They were defending the only unbeaten Premier 1 record against 2000 league champions Havant today.