Jasper Vinall

Jasper Vinall (c.1590 – 10 September 1624) was the first cricketer known to have died as a result of an incident during a game. He was accidentally struck on the forehead with a cricket bat during a game at Horsted Keynes on 28 August 1624 and died thirteen days later.

The fatality occurred after Vinall, a fielder, was struck on the head by the batsman who was trying to hit the ball a second time to avoid being caught. Vinall is the earliest recorded cricketing fatality. The matter was recorded in a coroner’s court, which returned a verdict of misadventure.[1]

The incident was repeated in 1647 when Henry Brand died after being struck on the head during a match at Selsey, West Sussex.[2]

When the first known Laws of cricket were coded in the 1744 season, it was illegal to hit the ball twice, but it is not known when the measure was introduced.