Share

Cricket world heartbroken over Hughes

Sydney - Cricket Australia boss James Sutherland said on Thursday that it was an understatement to say that they were completely devastated.

He was commenting on the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, who died in a Sydney hospital two days after being hit in the head by a ball.

"The word tragedy gets used too often in sport, but this freak accident is a real life tragedy," said Sutherland.

Australia's pain was shared by the cricketing world. Cricket, perhaps more than most other sports, is played by a tight-knit community.

Only a handful of countries play the game professionally and opposing players spend months together, often dining and drinking together after matches.

Rarely has cricket been more united than now, the game's saddest day.

Overwhelmed by emotion, Australia's players were in tears as they filed out of St Vincent's hospital after bidding farewell to their fallen teammate.

Too distraught

The Indian team, currently on tour in Australia, cancelled their two-day practice match that was due to start on Friday.

In Dubai, Pakistan and New Zealand aborted the second day of their Test match because the players were too distraught to take to the field.

At Lord's, the traditional home of cricket, flags were flown at half mast, a tribute that was replicated at stadiums around the world.

"For a young life to be cut short playing our national game seems a shocking aberration," Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said.

"He was loved, admired and respected by his teammates and by legions of cricket fans."

The news of Hughes' death came like a bolt from the blue. The 25-year-old had been in an induced come for two days after being struck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott at the Sydney Cricket Ground in a domestic encounter.

He had needed CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation before undergoing emergency surgery to reduce the pressure on his brain.

Brain area

Cricket is not a sport associated with death, so hopes were high that he would survive but the injuries he suffered were catastrophic.

The ball hit him on the side of his neck, compressing his vertebral artery and causing it to split, forcing blood into the brain area.

"This was a freakish accident because it was an injury to the neck that caused haemorrhage in the brain," Cricket Australia doctor Peter Brukner said. "The condition is incredibly rare."

His death will undoubtedly raise questions about safety standards in the game. Hughes was wearing a helmet but the ball slipped through a tiny gap between his shoulder and the base of his protective hard hat.


We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE