Hilton Cartwright retires mid-innings to attend the birth

Cartwright’s unexpected departure and return to duty

Remarkably, Cartwright was batting on an unbeaten 52 when he had to leave the field during the tea break on the second day.

He rushed to the hospital where his wife was admitted. Satisfied that his wife and newborn were safe, Cartwright returned to the WACA Ground in Perth.

After the dismissal of Cooper Connolly, he resumed his innings and added a further 13 runs before being dismissed by Riley Meredith.

Cartwright’s Statement on the Unexpected Situation

Cartwright told Fox Cricket that his wife was only 37 weeks pregnant and they did not expect the birth to coincide with the match against Tasmania.

But complications arose over the weekend, prompting an urgent call from her obstetrician.

The medical professional advised an immediate update for the safety of mother and child, which led to Cartwright’s sudden withdrawal from the game.

Cartwright’s Team Management Plan

Cartwright said he had discussed the plan with coaches and Western Australia captain Sam Whiteman.

The idea was for him to leave the court during the tea break, hoping to return later during the innings.

This is not an isolated incident: players have had to leave matches midway due to personal circumstances.

Earlier this year, Indian cricketer Ravichandran Ashwin had to rush home during a Test match against England after his mother fell ill.