Cricketer Phillip Hughes is to undergo further scans on Wednesday as he fights for his life in an induced coma in a Sydney hospital.
UPDATE: Phillip Hughes has tragically passed away.
Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said Hughes remained in a critical condition and would have more scans later in the day.
“We hope to be able to provide you with further information after the scans,” Dr Brukner told media outside St Vincent’s Hospital.
Australian Test captain Michael Clarke was one of the first people to arrive at the hospital again on Wednesday morning, joining Hughes family.
Well wishes and support for Hughes have been flowing in from the cricket community around the world.
England captain Alastair Cook said he was in shock at the news.
Cook told the BBC the thoughts and prayers of the England team were with Hughes and his family.
Cricket Australia (CA) chief James Sutherland said he had received numerous messages of support, including from the New Zealand team which is touring the United Arab Emirates.
The 25-year-old was transported to hospital in a critical condition after being struck on the lower back of his neck by a Sean Abbott delivery during the second session of South Australia’s Sheffield Shield match with NSW.
CA were offering counselling for Australian and Sheffield Shield players following the incident, with Sutherland stressing that everyone in the wider cricketing community was feeling for Hughes and Abbott.
“Like everyone … there’s not very nice feelings at the moment,” he said.
“They’ll have all the counselling and other support they need right now.”
All three current Sheffield Shield matches have been abandoned in the wake of Hughes’ injury following consultations with the players and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
“Given how players across the country are feeling right now, it’s just not the day to be playing cricket and we understand that,” Cricket Australia general manager of team performance Pat Howard said.
Messages from the cricket community flowed on social media for both Hughes and Abbott.
Former international Dean Jones tweeted: “Feeling for Phil Hughes after being hit. He is not in a good way! Stay strong @seanabbot77 … Not your fault young man”
Sutherland said the highest level of support was being offered to Abbott.
Immediately after Tuesday’s accident, Abbott was seen cradling the injured batsman.
“It says a lot about Sean doesn’t it?” Sutherland said on Wednesday.
“Sean will have all the support he needs around him.
“I’m sure his teammates and everyone don’t feel in any way ill of him for what happened.
“It’s a freak, freak incident that’s happened.”
Hughes made his Test debut in 2009 and has played 26 Tests for Australia, compiling 1535 runs at an average of 32.66.
With Australian selector Mark Waugh looking on in the SCG stands, Hughes had put together a composed 63 off 161 as he attempted to earn a Test recall for next week’s series opener against India.
Before the match he was considered a leading contender to replace Clarke in the Australian batting line-up for next week’s first Test against India with the Test captain struggling to recover from a hamstring injury.
Shaun Marsh is now the frontrunner to take Clarke’s spot in the Test line-up.
Cricket commentator Jim Maxwell said Hughes’ injury was the worst he had seen.
“It was just one of those horribly flukey things that can happen in the game,” he told ABC radio on Wednesday.
“Phil Hughes has ducked and weaved and hooked many short balls in his illustrious career.”
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It all depends on how he looks at it. If he makes a full recovery and goes back to cricket with the opinion that it's a one in a million thing happened to him, so what's the chance of it happening to him again, then he may well get back to his best. He might get back playing but decide to drop the pull shot and hook shot from his arsenal, much like Steve Waugh did, and either duck, sway or defend with a straight bat against short balls. Anyway, it's all speculation at this point anyway. First step is he just needs to survive and recover and get out of hospital, then he can worry about whether he's able to come back to cricket. I suspect that hooking technique probably is a little different since helmets. Batsmen probably don't necessarily always hook with a technique that gets the head out of the way (either stepping across right inside the ball, or hitting it just on the off-side of your body). The classic technique of getting right inside the line of the ball is harder for a left-hander against right-arm over-the-wicket bowlers as the angle of the ball tends to follow you, while for the right-hander the angle of a straight ball being slightly off-to-leg makes it a lot easier to get inside the line of the ball to hook. It's one reason why left-handers are often more likely to hook and pull staying leg-side of the ball.
Axle an the Guru
Guest
Justin Langer was never put in an induced coma.
Silver Sovereign
Roar Rookie
Justin Langer disagrees with that sentiment
Axle an the Guru
Guest
More batsmen get hit in the head now than ever before and IMO the helmet is the reason for that. Pre helmets very rearly did batsmen close their eyes and turn the back of their head towards the ball ,like they do now,once upon a time the batsman always watched the ball and kept their eyes on the ball and got out of its way. Helmets have given a false sence of security to the batsman that they are totally safe,and unfortunately they are not. I hope Hughes has a speedy recovery but I don't expect him to play test cricket again. Once a batsman gets hit like this they never recover to have great careers. David Hookes was never the same after his broken jaw and I don't think Rick McCosker ever played another test after his jaw,and they are minor injuries compared to Hughes.
Matt
Guest
A bar or two that wraps around the back wouldn't affect mobility and would still allow ventilation, no? With that being said though, this happens so rarely it's not a big deal. There's only so much you can do before it becomes a bit ridiculous. I've seen a lot more fielding injuries then batting. There is always going to be an inherit risk in everything, has to be a balance between risk and sanity.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
Agreed. Part of the reason everyone is so shocked is that in over 30 years of helmets in cricket, we've never seen the like of this. It's a freak thing that quite likely wouldn't happen again for another 30 years even if nothing different was done.
Chris Kettlewell
Roar Guru
It is a delicate balance, because if the helmet at all restricts the head mobility that could then increase the likelihood of getting hit. Putting on a helmet as it is and then taking up the batting position can often see the edges of the helmet and grill start to cut into the neck and shoulder a bit, so it may be difficult to extend it much and still be able to bat.
Matthew
Guest
I would like to see the helmet extend to behind the neck too. Im not sure exactly how that would be done and still allow full head mobility but Im sure there are designers for such things
Silver Sovereign
Roar Rookie
I just hope this doesn't become a politically correct call for a bouncer ban and other ridiculous safety measures. what happened was just a terrible accident