ABOUT
CLIFFE DEACON
EXPERIENCE BEYOND THE TREATMENT ROOM
Retired professional cricketer. International cricket team physiotherapist. High-performance lead physiotherapist. Level 2, 3 and 4 qualified cricket coach. Published co-author.
WHY PHYSIOTHERAPY?
A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD'S CRICKET INJURY, A 50 KM DRIVE, AND “THE REST IS HISTORY.”
Growing up on a farm in the north-eastern Free State, I had always dreamt of becoming a doctor.
One day, while helping my father with the cattle, he asked me to assist with a minor routine procedure — and I found I could not take part in anything that would cause the animal pain.
“If you can't do it, how will you ever become a doctor, young man?”
At fifteen, I hurt myself playing cricket and it would not heal. My parents drove me 50 km to see a physiotherapist.
“A physio-what?” I thought.
That consultation changed my life — and, as they say, the rest is history.
What followed was a BSc in Physiotherapy at the University of the Free State, a professional playing career of 239 matches, a decade of provincial and franchise physiotherapy, and then the international game.
I went on to work as Lead Physiotherapist with the Pakistan Cricket Board and Islamabad United, and now with the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
Along the way, I developed the M/S² frameworks and, in 2026, turned twenty years of practical experience into a teaching series.
TIMELINE
THE JOURNEY
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
239
Professional Matches
4866
Runs
433
Wickets
TEAMS
Free State · Central franchise / Knights · North West · Highveld Lions · South Africa "A" · South African Amateur XI · Warwickshire 2nd XI
FROM PLAYER TO PHYSIO TO EDUCATOR
Professional Cricketer
239 Professional Matches, 4866 Runs, and 433 Wickets. Teams represented include Free State, Central franchise / Knights, North West, Highveld Lions, South Africa “A”, South African Amateur XI and Warwickshire 2nd XI.
INTERNATIONAL PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Years of experience in professional and international cricket, including work with the Pakistan Cricket Board, Islamabad United and now the Afghanistan Cricket Board.
COACH & EDUCATOR
Level 2, 3 and 4 qualified cricket coach, published co-author and creator of the M/S² teaching series.
QUALIFICATIONS & CREDENTIALS
HPCSA
PT 0087955
BHF
PR 0492132
SASMA NW 905
Sport Physio since 2012
LEVEL 4
Elite Cricket Coach
SASP DEA 001
BSc Physiotherapy
University of the Free State
PUBLISHED
CO-AUTHOR
CRICKET
COMMENTATOR
post- graduate training
Dry needling, kinesiology taping, vibration training, emergency life support, sports-physiotherapy accreditation, cricket coaching to Level 4, and an ongoing programme of web-based and ethics courses.
FRAMEWORKS & PUBLICATIONS
The Standard Player Pathway (the CDPhysio operating system), the Performance Loop, the Architecture of Excellence, and the CDPhysio Player Guide. Contributing author to the Springer text Cricket Sports Medicine.
THE PERFORMANCE LOOP
A structured approach to long-term player development.
STANDARD PLAYER PATHWAY
The CDPhysio operating system — practical guidelines for coaches and support staff.
THE ARCHITECTURE OF EXCELLENCE
Bridging movement, performance and longevity.
CRICKET SPORTS MEDICINE
Contributing author (Springer)
EXPERIENCE IN MOTION.
Bringing decades of professional cricket, international physiotherapy, coaching and education together to help you move better, perform at your best and stay in the game for longer.
Consultations • Education • Presentations • Video Analysis