Cricket player Phillip Hughes dead from injury
During a competitive cricket match held in Australia, 25-year-old Phillip Hughes was hit by a pitch and struck in the lower neck area. Playing on the South Australia cricket team, Hughes was a top order batsman, a role reserved for only the best hitters on the team. While protective gear is often worn in an attempt to avoid such injuries, further concerns are brought into question when accidents occur within the game and result in death.
In a match played against New South Wales on Nov.25, Hughes was up at bat and was hit by a bouncer. In cricket, a bouncer is a type of pitch that requires for the pitcher to throw the ball fast and short, allowing the ball to bounce towards the batter’s head and chest region at very high speeds. In this case, Hughes misread the bounce and was hit by the ball.
After collapsing and requiring mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, Hughes was immediately taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney where he underwent surgery. It was confirmed that the injuries Hughes sustained were catastrophic. When the cricket ball made contact with Hughes’ lower neck area, it split the cerebral artery fatally. Surgeons attempted to relieve some of the brain pressure by removing some fragments of the skull, but Hughes never regained consciousness.
The match was immediately postponed, followed by immense shock and support from players and fans alike. Hughes was a first-class player, and was highly regarded as a top professional in Australian cricket. Hughes’ legacy as a player, and as a family man, has been recognized by many professionals and Australian citizens internationally. Cricket bats with flowers have been placed in gardens across the country, serving as a memorial to Hughes.
This untimely incident has given rise to a conversation regarding the safety of cricket players. A few days after it was announced that Hughes had passed, Cricket Australia stated that they would run an investigation looking into further protecting players. Adjustments to the equipment used by players should be expected to occur sometime in the near future to avoid the possibility of a similar incident.
-Compiled by Emilio Ghloum