Surgery is rarely utilised in the management of lumbar stress injuries in cricketers. It is typically only considered when initial non-surgical care has failed. The most common reason to consider surgical intervention is when a lumbar stress injury reoccurs at the same location (a ‘recurrence’), particularly if this occurs on multiple occasions. Many different techniques exist to surgically repair lumbar stress injuries. Buck’s repair, which involves a single lag screw across the fracture, is the most commonly published technique in athletes; however, in the specific cohort of professional cricketers, the largest case series demonstrated the effectiveness of a pedicle screw/titanium cable construct (Inglis technique). Surgery is successful in returning >90% of athletes back to play with a low complication profile. None of the pars repair techniques involve a fusion, which leaves the spinal biomechanics unaltered, ensuring bowlers are able to return to their preceding performance level and pace. A typical post-surgical rehabilitation protocol targets a return to full-intensity bowling in 6–8 months.