Cricket Celebration Takes Unexpected Turn
A celebratory event for new cricket facilities in a Birmingham park took a dramatic turn when a local councillor accidentally struck a bystander with a ball, leaving her briefly unconscious.
The incident occurred during the official opening of a four-lane cricket nets facility at Sparkhill Park. Councillor Majid Mahmood, the cabinet member for transport and the environment and a known cricket fan, was participating in the event when he hit the ball.
Eyewitnesses Describe the Scene
The cricket ball travelled beyond the safety of the nets and into a crowd of onlookers. It struck one woman directly on the back of her head. Witnesses reported that the force of the impact caused her to fall, and she was briefly unconscious as a result.
Urgent first aid was administered at the scene by first aiders from a nearby leisure centre. While the woman did not require an ambulance, she was later taken to hospital as a precaution to be checked over by medics.
One eyewitness, Jagdeep Singh, expressed concern about the safety measures in place, describing the act as 'reckless'. Another bystander commented, "There did not appear to be any safety protocols in place, which was really bad."
Councillor's Apology and Facility Funding
Following the accident, a distraught Councillor Mahmood issued a sincere public apology. "I am sincerely sorry for this accident and I am grateful to everyone there today who helped to make sure she was okay, particularly the first aiders from the leisure centre," he stated. "I want to reiterate my apologies once again and I will be reaching out directly to her to personally apologise."
The new sports facility, which features ball stop nets and non-turf pitches, was made possible by a grant of nearly £200,000 awarded to Birmingham City Council. This funding was allocated for improvements at two sites: Sparkhill Park and Small Heath Park.
The audience at the launch included a group of dignitaries, such as fellow city councillors and local representatives from various charities and businesses.
