Cricket umpire dies after being hit by ball and spending month in coma – The Sun

A CRICKET umpire has tragically died a month after being hit on the head by a ball.

Veteran John Williams, 80, secretary of Hundleton County Cricket Club, was left in an induced coma after he had been struck during an amateur match.

He had been officiating the Pembroke v Narbeth Division Two game on July 13 when he was fatally hit.

He was treated at the scene by the ambulance service and then flown a hundred miles away to University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff.

Mr Williams was then placed in an induced coma at the hospital but was transferred to Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest on August 1.

Pembrokeshire Cricket tweeted: "Sad news this morning regarding umpire John Williams.

"John passed away this morning with his family at his bedside. Thoughts of all of Pembrokeshire Cricket are with Hilary and the boys at this difficult and sad time."

Fellow umpire Merfyn John revealed last month that it was only because of a "last minute swap" that Mr Williams was overseeing the match.

He said: "It's just one of those things – the ball comes so quickly. You just move out of the way but these boys are so tall and powerful when they hit the ball, it's just so fast.

"No words can describe the incident – it really hit me when I heard about it.

"John is a good umpire, he is fair and he is easy to get on with."

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