While Australia have levelled the Ashes series at one apiece, there are concerns over their opening batsman Chris Rogers, who was forced to retire hurt on Sunday morning because of a dizzy spell suffered 48 hours after being struck on the head by a James Anderson bouncer.
The 37-year-old, who missed both Tests in West Indies in June with concussion, became unstable on his feet while standing at the non-striker’s end only two overs into the day’s play and signalled to the dressing room for assistance.
The team doctor, Peter Brukner, and physiotherapist, Alex Kountouris, immediately went out to the middle to examine the left-hander, who sat dazed on the Lord’s turf and gave a sign to suggest blurred vision, before he was escorted off the field. He had faced five balls and added five runs to his overnight score of 44.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson later confirmed Rogers had suffered dizziness. He had not reported any symptoms before play and his condition was not deemed serious enough to require a visit to the neighbouring Wellington Hospital for additional tests.
Rogers, who will call time on his international career at the end of the tour, did not field during England’s second innings and was seen resting on the balcony of the Australian dressing room. He gave the thumbs-up to television cameras.
But there are worries over the wellbeing of a player who has suffered three blows to the head in the past seven months while playing. The latest came off the first ball of the second morning from Anderson while Rogers was on his way to a Test-best score of 173 in Australia’s first innings.
Ducking into a short-pitched delivery from the England seamer, Rogers was left bleeding after being struck behind the ear but he continued batting. Australia posted 566 for eight declared and Rogers fielded during the home side’s reply.
Rogers, who wears contact lenses when playing and is colour-blind, was forced to miss both Tests against West Indies – the tour that preceded this Ashes series – after being hit by a local net bowler in Dominica.
As with this latest incident, he complained of dizziness afterwards. Speaking at the start of this tour, Rogers said: “I’ve been hit on the head plenty of times and I’ve never really had anything like that. The fact that it went on so long does become a bit of a concern, naturally, but the doctor was there to give me good advice and I had to listen to it.”
He suffered another blow while fielding at short-leg during the second Test against India in Brisbane last December. Rogers later admitted that had made him contemplate his international future in light of the tragic death of Phil Hughes the month before after a blow to the head.
“That night I was pretty upset, so I just wasn’t sure which way to go. I had to speak to a few people close to me,” said Rogers . “It was an interesting time after what happened with Phil.
“There are a lot of guys who are finding it pretty hard. Mortality hadn’t really been an issue in the game.”
The Australia captain, Michael Clarke, was keen to down play the seriousness of Rogers’ condition, even claiming it was not related to the blow from Anderson, but admitted the decision of the medical staff would be final. “It sounds to me that today’s incident is no relation to him getting hit in the West Indies or even the other day,” he said. “We’ll wait and see the result and let the experts have a look at him and make their decision. But I’m confident Chris will be right for the next Test match.”
Rogers was the first Australian player after the death of Hughes last year to adopt the newly designed helmet that incorporates additional protection at the back of the head, the area struck by Anderson on Friday.
Clarke wore the old-style helmet in their first innings at Lord’s but appeared with the extra modification added when he came out to bat on Sunday morning.
Brukner, who previously headed the medical team at Liverpool, is expected to give an update on Rogers’ condition Monday.
He is a vocal campaigner on the subject of concussion across all sports, having publicly criticised the then Tottenham manager André Villas-Boas two years ago when the Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris played on after being knocked out during a match against Everton.
