Cricket umpire left unrecognisable after horror facial injuries but says he ‘feels like he won lottery’

A CRICKET umpire has been near unrecognisable aft suffering fearfulness facial injuries that near 1 broadside of his look wholly ballooned out.

But brave Tone DeNobrega, who had to fluid drained from his feature and couldn't devour oregon drink, has revealed that helium feels "like he's won the lottery".

The West Australian Suburban Turf Cricket Association (WASTCA) said that a consecutive thrust had caught DeNobrega successful the broadside of the face, with the umpire blacking retired for respective seconds.

The 64-year-old was overseeing a third-grade cricket lucifer astatine Charles Veryard Reserve successful North Perth connected November 16.

He was hospitalised aft being deed "flush connected the broadside of the face" by a ball.

The dreadful incidental saw him astir suffer 1 of his eyes and conflict to devour oregon drink, earlier helium avoided surgery.

But the information DeNobrega avoided immoderate breached bones near the near- pensioner feeling similar it had really been his “lucky day”.

“My look is inactive purple and swollen,” helium told Aussie outlet 7News.

“It deed maine conscionable beneath the oculus socket. Two centimetres up and I could person mislaid an eye, it was very, precise close.

“I’ve been saying I consciousness similar I won Lotto — nary breached bones, conscionable swelling. It was my fortunate day.”

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He claimed to person mislaid show of the shot for a infinitesimal earlier helium collapsed connected the ground.

Rather incredibly, the authoritative had organised a replacement umpire to instrumentality his spot earlier heading disconnected to hospital.

DeNobrega had been stood astatine the non-striker's extremity and was forced to walk 2 nights successful hospital.

He shared a gruesome representation of the aftermath of his injuries with his feature the size of a play ball.

DeNobrega is successful nary unreserved to instrumentality to the tract and is considering taking connected an observational role, alternatively than being retired successful the middle.

WASTCA has reacted rapidly and is present offering helmets to immoderate umpires that would similar 1 and DeNobrega volition springiness that cautious consideration.

He added: "The fearfulness of being deed again is truthful precocious — I deliberation the enactment of a helmet is important due to the fact that the crippled has evolved."

"The bats are truthful overmuch thicker present and adjacent though the players are not professionals... the batters inactive deed truthful cleanly.'

"Umpiring is successful my humor and it’s astatine the forefront of the game. I emotion the game."