CRICKETER Andrew Cruttenden made a strong bid for the title of 'Kent’s Unluckiest Sportsman' after suffering a dislocated knee and a broken ankle in a disastrous match playing for Holmesdale against Tunbridge Wells.

The omens were not good heading into the game with Holmesdale 12 points adrift at the foot of the Kent League 1st XI Division 1.

After 40 overs of the Holmesdale innings against his former club, Cruttenden hit a short ball from off-spinner Peter Ford over square leg, dislocating his right knee in the process.

Players from both sides gathered round as the 27-year-old was in obvious pain but, after popping his knee back into place, he decided to bat on.

In the next over disaster struck when, in hitting a ball from Wells skipper Mark Smith to the boundary for four, the all-rounder dislocated his kneecap again.

This time, his attempt to get the weight off his injured leg saw him fall backwards, breaking his ankle and knocking over his stumps to be given out hit-wicket.

"The pain was beyond words," said Cruttenden, who was going well on 34 not out having made 75 not out the previous week.

"I didn’t even realise I’d broken my ankle until I got off the field because the pain was so bad.

"After it happened the first time, I put it back and decided to bat on because I was in good nick and I was looking to make 60 or 70 and boost my average. In hindsight that was a mistake."

To compaound Cruttenden's misery, Holmesdale lost the match by nine wickets adn he faces six weeks in plaster followed by an extensive course of physiotheraphy.