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During the shoot of a promotional event, Mark Howard was hit on the head by a bail that left him bleeding.
Brett Lee’s (right) pace proved too hot to handle for the broadcaster. (Screengrab)
Australia fast-bowling legend Brett Lee left broadcaster Mark Howard bleeding during a promotional shoot in Sydney. While shooting, Lee participated in a bowling challenge where Howard took up the wicketkeeping role.
The Aussie speedster sent a thunderbolt to lift the bails off the stumps before the ball found its way to Howard’s gloves. One of those flying bails hit Howard in the forehead, leaving the TV anchor bleeding.
Howard later revealed the shoot was delayed because he had to be rushed to the hospital due to the freak accident.
“So we had a slight one-and-a-half-hour delay where I visited emergency due to your (Brett Lee) bowling, but the doctors gave me all clear,” Howard said.
Howard then quipped he’s proud of getting hit by the great fast bowler.
“But I will be happy to say I have a scar from the bowling of Brett Lee,” he said.
Lee later said how he heard two noises before realising that one of the bails had struck Howard on the head.
“We were filming today, doing a bowling challenge. I bowled a ball, it went through the top of off. Howie was keeping. He’s caught the ball and I’ve heard two noises,” Lee said.
“I’ve seen him hunched over. I thought, ‘Geez, what’s happened,’ and I realised the bail flew through and impaled him right in the middle of the head and there was claret everywhere. He was bleeding pretty badly,” he added.
Lee said he has never seen a cricket bail travel so fast in all his years playing at the highest level.
The incident led to Howard being taken to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital immediately. The medical facility was just 200 metres away from where the shoot was taking place.
Lee also confirmed that despite the accident, Howard would resume his broadcasting duty on Friday for the second Test of the 2024/25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
