A respected and popular north east cricket umpire narrowly missed being killed by lightning at a cricket ground in Aberdeen.
During a pitch inspection, before a national league game on Saturday, Kim Neill from Nairn was only a few inches away from a lightning strike.
The 59-year-old was on the square at Mannofield, prior to the game between Aberdeenshire and 2nd Forfarshire, when she saw a flash of lightning coming towards her..
Mrs Neill described her ordeal as the worst experience of her life.
She said: “It was absolutely terrifying, and like nothing I have ever seen in my native South Africa or since coming to live in Scotland.
“I saw this flash coming towards me but narrowly missing me before hitting the clubhouse.”
Mrs Neil is the mother of Adrian Neill, a Scotland cricket star, currently on duty with the national team in Zimbabwe on world cup qualifying business.
“I attempted to warn my fellow umpire John Campbell, obviously too late, but it was really scary.
“I came off the pitch with my hair standing on end, I suppose as a result of the static in the air, but then it could have been sheer fright,” she said.
She admitted it was a great relief to meet up with her husband Magnus who was on umpire duty at Countesswells.
Mr Neill said: “Despite her scare, she came up to my game where she helped make a decision about the suitability of the pitch at Countesswells. It takes more than lightning to knock her out her stride.
“I am just pleased she is okay and hopefully fit for the rest of the season.”said Mr Neill.
Aberdeenshire cricket captain David Gamblen said:”I was in the dressing room when I heard this enormous bang.
“I am just relieved Mrs Neill was not injured.
“Cricket is still a dangerous game whichever way you look at it.”
Fellow umpire John Campbell praised the courage of his colleague.
He said:”In the event, both games were called off. But had ours gone ahead, Kim would have happily continued to officiate.
“Who says women are weaker sex?”
Jack Mitchell, the captain of Huntly who were denied a game because of the water on the pitch, certainly hopes so.
“Kim is a key player in the local game. I am just relieved she was not injured,” he said
Is a lightning strike a rare occurrence?
Over the years lightning has been a regular feature in sport with in some instances death being an outcome.
The best known being the death of Scotland soccer star John White who was struck by lightning in the early 1960’s when playing golf.
