The CRICKETERS battle with mental health In their own words

Depression within Cricket has hit the headlines in recent years with many household names such as Andrew Flintoff, Steve Harmison and Marcus Trescothick opening up about their own experiences and battles. One study suggested that the suicide rate among English test cricketers over the years is almost double that of the UK’s male population. The media spotlight surrounding the issue has triggered a response from the Sport, with organisations such as the Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) launching initiatives such as the Mind Matters tutorials to educate players about the possible risks and coping strategies. The real question though is why is this the case? Is it something about the sport that is triggering such incidences? Or is it more likely to be a reflection of the type of personalities that tend to take up the game? There is no concrete answer. Let’s firstly look at characteristics of Cricket that could be deemed as risk factors for the onset of depression.