Sydney: Promising Australian cricketer Phil Hughes died on Thursday unable to recover from a head injury he sustained from a bouncer three days ago. He was 25.
Hughes was in a critical condition following an emergency surgery on Tuesday after he was knocked out by a bouncer from bowler Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shiled match.
Statement from Australian Team Doctor Peter Brukner:
It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away.
He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday.
He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.
As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.
Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected.
The 25-year-old, who was pressing for a Test recall, crashed to the ground unconscious after the heavy blow to the head and was air-lifted to hospital from the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Following the incident, the batsman had been placed in an induced coma and had undergone surgery at the St Vincent's Hospital.
Television images showed the helmeted Hughes, who had scored a composed 63 for South Australia in the Sheffield Shield game, standing dazed before going down face-first following the rising delivery from New South Wales bowler Sean Abbott.
New South Wales players, including Test colleagues David Warner and Brad Haddin, quickly rushed to his side and immediately called for help.
A hospital statement later said Hughes was out of surgery but remained in critical condition in intensive care.
Reports said he was in an induced coma and being treated to relieve pressure on his brain from bleeding.
Tim Nielsen from South Australia Cricket read out a statement from the Hughes family outside the hospital.
"The outcome of the surgery is unlikely to be known for the next 24-48 hours," he said. "We would appreciate it if you would look after the family and friends and respect their privacy please."
Medical staff worked on the 25-year-old, reportedly including mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, for more than 30 minutes before he was taken from the field ahead of a helicopter landing on the pitch.
We're told Phil Hughes is in a critical condition after being hit by a bouncer from Sean Abbott at the SCG @9NewsAUS pic.twitter.com/qmvVKBJeVr
— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) November 25, 2014Emergency helicopter on the SCG now for Phil Hughes - he reportedly underwent CPR after being hit by a bouncer pic.twitter.com/YhKwpT6paI
— Tom Steinfort (@tomsteinfort) November 25, 2014"The patient suffered a critical injury and was transported to St Vincent's Hospital in a critical condition," an Ambulance NSW official told AFP.
Cricket Australia said in a live match blog on its website that Hughes had "been leaving the short balls, had a go at this one, misjudged it and was hit in the head. He blacked out and fell badly". The match was abandoned.
On Tuesday, Australian skipper Michael Clarke and Hughes family members rushed to the hospital after hearing about Hughes' critical condition.
(Photo: Twitter)
(Photo: Twitter)
