We mourn the tragic death of Hughes
We mourn the sad death of Australian batsman Philip Hughes, victim of the bouncer delivered by Sean Abbott in a local match on Tuesday in Sydney. He went to the coma from the Sydney Cricket ground and underwent emergency surgery the following day, but the Aussies cricketer finally breathed his last the same day. From the footage and pictures presently available, it appears that Hughes was struck by the ball to the rear of the grille and below the back of the shell, missing his Masuri Original Test Model helmet.
This is a vulnerable area of the head and neck that helmet cannot fully protect, while enabling batsman to have full and proper movement. This is not the first case. A bouncer from West Indian fast bowler Griffith in the mid-sixties seriously injured former Indian captain Noriman Contractor. The Indian, however, survived after the doctors’ ceaseless efforts.
Another Indian batsman Roman Larma was killed in the same way in Dhaka several years ago. Death on the playground is not new. Boxers, Footballers, gymnasts and some other athletes faced tragic death on the playgrounds. We cannot blame any one but mourn their deaths only.
Hughes made his Test debut in 2009 and scored 75 in second innings against hosts South Africa. After that he was struggling to enter the Aussies first eleven. And when he was about to be picked up in the first Test against the visiting India next month in Brisbane, just a bouncer blew out all his journey, his life, his dream.
We again mourn his death. We also share the pains of his familyand friends ¾ both in personal life and fellow players.
Ameer Hamzah
Dhaka.
