Injured cricketer's recovery continues

Karl McKnight.

Rotorua cricketer Karl McKnight will start a phased return to work this week - more than a month after he was hit in the head with a ball.

The Geyser City Cricket Club player suffered swelling to the brain when hit by a delivery while batting last month. He was not wearing a helmet.

Mr McKnight, who underwent brain surgery in Waikato Hospital following the incident, said recovery had been slow, but he was getting better and hoped to be back to 100per cent by the end of April.

He had started to do more exercise, but was still not allowed to drive, he said.

He had been more tired than normal and his brain "doesn't tick over like it used to", Mr McKnight said.

He is hoping to be back mountain biking soon, he said. "It's just a case of recovering at the moment."

He met last week with a speech therapist, occupational therapist and physiotherapist, with the assessment being time and rest were what was needed. Mr McKnight will go to Hamilton next week to see a neurologist.

"There's some great people out in the health system."

Mr McKnight said he had seen his doctor at least three or four times in the last few weeks, and he was given the okay to slowly progress back to working at Red Stag Timber from the end of this week. He said he would try an hour a day of work for a week and was excited about going back, but wary that it might be "a bit heavy".

Next cricket season, Mr McKnight plans to advocate for the wearing of helmets by cricketers.