Bruce Tom played in a first grade clash for the first time in more than five years to help Lake Albert after a nasty collision between Isaac Cooper and Josh Coyte floored the two key batsmen at Rawlings Park on Saturday.
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The pair clashed heads as the Bulls captain dived from his position at mid off and Coyte did the same from mid on.
The sound of the collision was described as sickening and the contact so severe both went to hospital.
"We just went for a ball that went straight down the ground," Cooper said.
"I dived and he dived and just clashed heads."
Paramedics were called for Coyte, but it was Cooper who was transported away complaining of nausea.
Coyte soon followed after a short period.
However both are on the road to recovery.
"We are just both recovering from concussion," Cooper said.
"Josh was knocked out and doesn't remember it but I've spoken to him and he is doing a little bit better."
However it provided an opportunity for Tom to play his second match in first grade since the 2014-15 season.
Now in his 50s, Tom made 25 after getting the late call up as a concussion substitute after five overs.
He impressed with the bat.
"Bruce Tom can still play first grade from what I saw on the weekend," Cooper said.
"I went to hospital, had a rest for about four hours and went back."
Tom made 69 in his lone bat in second grade this season and finished with the third highest score for the Bulls on Saturday.
However with only 10 batsmen at their disposal, and with two in their top four sidelined, they fell 32 runs short of the 215 set for victory by Kooringal Colts.
Cooper expects he and Coyte will both miss the clash with Wagga RSL at Wagga Cricket Ground on Saturday leading into the Christmas break
"We'll probably both be out this week but it will all depend," he said.
"It's not looking good."
The loss leaves the Bulls with just one win to their credit and last on the ladder, four points behind the Colts and eight points outside the top four.
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