Why do cricketers commit suicide?
David Frith, who has written a book on cricketer suicides, explores the matter further in an article in Daily News and Analysis .
Siddhartha Talya
25-Feb-2013
David Frith, who has written a book on cricketer suicides, explores the matter further in an article in Daily News and Analysis.
There are theories as to why cricket seems to have such a high rate of self-destruction (to which may be added alcoholism, which is what one might term Suicide Mark 2). It seems to me that the long days of dedication which cricket demands by its often punishing format can wear a man down, especially when he doesn’t know where his next run or wicket is coming from. Despite the comradeship on the field and in the dressing-room and club bar, a man who is out of sorts still needs somehow to find a good night’s sleep.
A vicious circle is created: sleepless night, worrying about the next match, brooding over recent failures, which can even seem like humiliations; followed by further nervous performance and an extension of the bad run of form or, perhaps worse still, bad luck, such as a bad umpiring decision against you. It is all very wearing.
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo