Cricket 12th most dangerous sport: study

Around 900 people are hospitalised for cricket-related injuries each year, a study says.

This number is small when compared to Australian Rules football - the leading cause of sports-related hospitalisations in Australia.

"In our recent report cricket was very far from being the most prominent sport for injuries," said Australian Institute of Health and Welfare spokesman professor James Harrison.

"Football codes were way more prominent."

Harrison, who is the director of Flinders University's Research Centre for Injury Studies, said the majority of cricket injuries were not serious.

"Most often they were broken bones," he said.

Sport was responsible for more than 36,000 people aged 15 and over being admitted to hospital in the 2011-12 financial year, according to the latest statistics from the AIHW.

Cricket came in at number twelve on the list of sports most likely to result in a trip to the hospital.

AFL, despite being played by about 100,000 fewer people a year than cricket, put more than 3180 people in hospital in 2011-12.

Of the 913 people admitted to hospital for cricket accidents, none of the injuries proved fatal.

The three most frequently hurt body regions were the upper limbs, the lower limbs and then the head, which accounted for 18 per cent of injuries.

The accidents most commonly occurred after coming into contact with sports equipment.

AFL injuries were most likely a result of physical contact, the report says.

TOP 12 SPORTS FOR INJURIES

* Total - 36,237

1. Australian Rules football - 3186

2. Soccer - 2962

3. Cycling - 2917

4. Wheeled motor sports - 2737

5. Rugby (all) - 2621

6. Water sports - 2502

7. Roller sports - 1632

8. Equestrian - 1568

9. Basketball - 1322

10. Netball - 1262

11. Ice and snow sports - 1114

12. Cricket - 913