TOM Smith is feeling the pain of the occupational hazards that comes with being a multi-talented sportsman.
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For the second year in a row the 18-year-old will miss a representative opportunity on the cricket field.
Smith had been selected in Cricket Victoria’s Country under 19 team to play a Victoria Metro line-up in Twenty20, one- day and two-day games in Cobram and Barooga from September 22-26.
Last year Smith was denied his place in the team when he was hit in the face with a cricket ball at training, breaking his cheekbone and eye socket.
This time around it is a football injury that has grounded the exciting right-arm pace bowler.
Smith suffered a broken collarbone while playing for Terang Mortlake in the Hampden league first semi-final last Sunday at Koroit.
He had been a valuable contributor in the first half of the game in his role as a lead-up forward.
But he sustained the injury in a third-quarter collision and missed the rest of the game as the Bloods went down to the North Warrnambool Eagles by five points.
“The doctor said it is a rare break. There is a crack in the right collarbone, just near the sternum,” Smith said.
“I don’t have to have it operated on so it will just take time to heal and I’m hoping to be back in action in a month.”
The break is an untimely blow for Smith, who is about to embark on an exciting stage of his cricket career.
Smith has signed on to play for premier league club Geelong for the 2014/15 season after training with the club last year. “I was playing for West Warrnambool and looking for somewhere to train while I was in Geelong working during the finals.
“Matthew Gunther from Dennington was at Geelong so he helped organise that I could go along and train with them and they must have thought I went OK and asked me to come and play for this season.
“I’d like to play at the highest level I can and I’m hoping to move down to Geelong and have a good go at it.”
Smith has already achieved plenty at a local level, having been a part of two division one premiership teams at West Warrnambool.
Last season he was in brilliant form with the ball, taking 27 wickets at an average of 13.11 to play a big part in the Panthers’ success.
While Smith will miss the chance to play at Cobram Barooga, his former West teammate Ben Threlfall will be in action.
Threlfall has been selected in the Academy Invitational XII which will play against the ACT as part of the support program.
