Sports FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2014

Former ICC chief wants review of safety standards

MUMBAI: Former International Cricket fatal injuries. “This is very, very sad. These West Bengal. “Everyone involved in the game Council chief Jagmohan Dalmiya has called injuries are part of cricket but precautions should be able to protect the players and one on the game’s administrators to work on should be taken so that such incidents do not has to try and prevent these incidents from upgrading safety standards to ensure that happen,” Dalmiya, who was ICC president happening. “Once something like this hap- incidents like the shock death of Australian from 1997-2000, told Reuters. “I hope this pens we have got nothing to do but lament. batsman Phillip Hughes never happen again. never happens again on the cricket field.” The Can we do anything now? No, we can’t.” Hughes, wearing a helmet, was struck on 74-year-old Dalmiya, who has also held the Former India Contractor was stuck on the neck by a short-pitched when top post in the Indian cricket board (BCCI), the skull by a Charlie Griffith in a in a domestic match on Tuesday, with said the incident reflected poorly on people practice match against Barbados during the force of the blow piercing his vertebral who run the game. “After the Nari Contractor India’s tour of the West Indies in 1962. artery and causing blood to gush into his incident a number of years have passed. But if The injury during the pre-helmet era left brain. He died in hospital yesterday aged 25. we are still struggling with the quality of pro- Contractor unconscious for days but he The incident has brought the focus back on tective gear, that’s a very sad thing on the miraculously survived after multiple opera- cricket’s protective equipment, specifically part of the administrators,” said Dalmiya, who tions and blood transfusions. However, he helmets which are supposed to prevent such now heads the state cricket association in never played for India again. — Reuters Cricket world reflects on : The parents of Australian cricket batsman Phil Hughes, father Greg (C) and mother Virginia (2nd R) with other family members leave St. Vincents Hospital in Hughes with shock, sadness Sydney yesterday. — AFP Factbox on Phillip Hughes A sport left heartbroken by death of Hughes * Born: Nov. 30 1988 in Macksville, . Grew up SYDNEY: Australian cricketer Phillip on a banana farm before moving to Sydney. Made his first-class Hughes died yesterday from a “cata- debut for NSW in 2007 at 18 and became the youngest to score a century in the Sheffield Shield. strophic” injury to his head, two days * Made his test debut for Australia against South Africa in after being struck by a delivery during a February 2009, scoring back-to-back centuries in his second match. Australia captain Michael Clarke, match in Durban against the feared fast bowling of trying to compose himself several times, and Morne Morkel. read a brief statement on behalf of His unorthodox technique was exposed by England’s fast Hughes’ parents, brother and sister at a bowling attack in the 2009 Ashes series and he was dropped for news conference at St. Vincent’s Hospital the third test and thereafter struggled to hold down a regular that was broadcast live around Australia. starting place. “We’re devastated by the loss of our * Featured in tests against Pakistan and New Zealand in early much-loved son and brother Phillip. 2010 before being recalled for the following Ashes series as an Cricket was Phillip’s life, and we as a fami- injury replacement for but again struggled against ly shared that love of the game with him the English bowling attack, scoring 97 runs in three tests. ... We love you,” Clarke read, holding back * Retained his spot in the Australian touring party for Sri Lanka and South Africa in 2011, but was dropped during the tears before leaving the room. home series against New Zealand during the Australian 2011-12 Hughes was wearing a helmet summer after criticism of his playing style. Tuesday when he was hit after attempt- * Went to England in 2012 and played county cricket with ing to hook a short-pitch ball from New Worcestershire, and then had a strong start to the Sheffield South Wales fast bowler . Shield season and was rewarded with a spot in the test squad for Dr Tony Grabs, a surgeon and director Sri Lanka’s tour of Australia in 2012-13. of trauma services who treated Hughes COLOMBO: In this Sept. 19, 2011 file photo Australia’s batsman Phillip Hughes * Scored 112 against Sri Lanka to become the first Australian at St Vincent’s, said the 25-year-old crick- celebrates after scoring a century during the fourth days’ play of the third batsman to score a century on his one-day international debut, eter had died from a rare injury - there cricket test match between Australia and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka. helping him retain a spot in the team for the tours of India and have been only 100 documented cases of Hughes died in a Sydney hospital yesterday, two days after being struck in the England later in 2013. vertebral artery dissection - which result- head by a during a domestic first-class match.— AP * Made his last Australian test appearance in the 2013 second ed in severe bleeding on his brain. Ashes Test, in which he made one in both innings. “We did a CAT scan of the head to * He was felled by a bouncer playing for South Australia said Hughes was in the care of two spe- Sparkling start determine what we could do,” Grabs said. against NSW in a Sheffield Shield match on Tuesday at the SCG cialist doctors before an ambulance and Messages of support poured in from while on 63, as he pushed for a recall for the first test against “This occurred very early and it was rec- paramedics arrived at the Sydney Cricket all around the world after Hughes stum- India in next week. ognized we had to make an intervention Ground, making their delayed response bled, leaned over and then collapsed * Taken to hospital where he is placed in an induced coma to help get the pressure down in the less relevant, Brukner said. It took two after being hit behind the left ear when because of the blow to the neck, which split an artery and caused brain. He had extensive surgery to phone calls and 15 minutes for an ambu- he mis-timed a short-pitch delivery while a massive bleed to the brain. remove some of the skull from around his lance to get to an unconscious Hughes. batting for South Australia against New * Does not regain consciousness and dies at St Vincent’s brain to help allow the brain to expand “I think ambulance waiting time is South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match. Hospital in Sydney on Nov. 27 aged 25. so it wasn’t compressed.” really more relevant when the injured Deaths are rare in cricket, although Australian team doctor Peter Brukner person is not being treated,” Brukner Hughes is the second player in two years Phillip Hughes playing statistics said Hughes’ recovery did not go as said. “I think by any standard or observa- to sustain a fatal blow. Style: Left-handed opening batsman hoped. “Over a period of the first 24 to 48 tion, he was receiving excellent quality Darryn Randall, who was 32 and a for- Tests matches: 26 hours he did not make very much treatment. Hence, he arrived at the hos- mer first-class player in South Africa, was Test innings: 49 improvement and unfortunately, as a pital in excellent condition.” killed after being struck on the side of the Test runs: 1,535 consequence of the injury, he died,” Highest test score: 160 v South Africa in Durban, March 2009 Brukner announced the death earlier head during a Border Cricket Board Test average: 32.65 Brukner said. yesterday in a statement, saying Hughes Premier League match in the Eastern Test 100s: 3 never regained consciousness. The state- Cape last year. Test 50s: 7 Immensely talented ment was issued shortly after Australian At the Australian Open golf tourna- Test debut: Versus South Africa in Johannesburg, Feb. 2009 chief executive James opener , one of the first ment not far from St. Vincent’s, a large Last Test: Versus England at Lord’s, July 2013 Sutherland said Hughes was immensely players to help Hughes when he col- gallery following Adam Scott heard of ODI matches: 25 talented and dearly loved: “Without lapsed on the field, had left the hospital Hughes’ death and some wiped tears ODI innings: 24 doubt, he was a rising star whose best in tears. Hughes’ mother and sister were from their eyes. Hughes played 26 test ODI runs: 826 cricket was still ahead of him.” “The word at the match when he was he was hurt, matches for Australia after making his ODI highest score: 138 v Sri Lanka in Hobart, Jan. tragedy gets used too often in sport, but and kept vigil at the hospital. Clarke, a debut in 2009, but despite a sparkling 2013 this freak accident is real life tragedy,” close friend, was among dozens of for- start to his international career at 19, he ODI average: 35.91 Sutherland said. “Just days short of his mer and current teammates and stars of was not able to earn a regular spot in the ODI 100s: 2 26th birthday, Phillip has been taken the game who visited the hospital to starting lineup. After making 75 in his first ODI 50s: 4 away from us too soon. He will forever be ODI debut: Versus Sri Lanka in , Jan. 2013 offer their support. Prime Minister Tony test innings against South Africa in Last ODI: Versus Pakistan in Abu Dhabi, Oct. 2014 remembered as one of the elite few to Abbott described Hughes as a “young Johannesburg, he posted centuries in Twenty20 internationals: 1 have worn the baggy green cap, cap man living out his dream,” adding “it’s a each innings of his second test, becom- Six runs versus Pakistan in Dubai, Oct. 2014. — Reuters number 408.” very sad day for cricket and a heartbreak- ing the youngest player ever to do that in Also at the news conference, doctors ing day for his family.” . —AP