Research in sport continues to contribute to improved performances. Teams that have embraced this concept have excelled over the last few decades. Science and cricket is a fairly new marriage, and many world teams only now understand the gap between those who incorporate science and those who rely solely on talent. Neither can prosper without the other. Cricket is an ideal sport for a scientist as it is unique in many ways; games lasting five days, played at day and night, bowlers bowling pace or spin, and batsmen having to contend with a ball moving in the air and also after bouncing. In 1955, energy expenditure by a cricketer was misunderstood as simply that of a person standing.1 Half a century on, all aspects of cricket are coming under the microscope. In this issue, we see three articles related to cricket, but completely diverse in area of study. Increases in both volume and intensity of participation will lead to an increase in injuries. Only with surveillance can patterns and specific injuries be recognised and reduced. The longest surveillance of injuries at this level by any country is reported in this issue.2 Following standardisation of reporting of cricket injuries through consensus, this is the second paper to be published using that format. This paper reports that, in spite of an increase of about 30% in player hours over the last decade,