Cricket is alternatively a low- or a high-injury sport, depending on the level of competition. At an amateur level, injury rates are relatively low, with very few families concerned about their children playing cricket at school from an injury perspective, for example. At professional and elite levels, the rates of injury are far higher, as is the case for most sports. However, in terms of injuries which result in missed playing time, the playing position most affected is pace bowlers in red ball (long form) cricket. The vast majority of these injuries are traditionally considered ‘overuse’ injuries, although we now accept that underuse-overuse is a more accurate depiction. Larger bowling loads can be tolerated if the bowler is accustomed to them. The most common method for determining fitness to tolerate a certain load is the acute chronic workload ratio (ACWR), which most commonly uses bowling load over a single week compared to the previous 4 weeks (weekly average). Injury rates in fast bowlers may be dropping alongside the gradual drift from unlimited overs cricket to limited overs cricket (especially T20). However, the expected return of many players from T20 bowling loads to red ball bowling loads inevitably leads to a degree of ‘workload spike’ that often still precipitates injury. This would be the equivalent of a relief pitcher moving to be a starting pitcher mid-season. Although the other positions in cricket can also suffer from gradual-onset injuries, they are less common compared to acute-onset or traumatic injuries. Load management principles of calculated reloading after injury are helpful for all players whenever a gradual-onset injury is sustained.