Phil Hughes Rip

[ChillDoubt]

Just flashing up on Sky News that 2 days after being struck by a delivery, Phil Hughes has sadly passed away.
Australia and the cricketing world mourns, such dreadful news.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes may I join in with all the sad condolences, what a tragic end to a young life. RIP, but I don't think that comments such as those made by ludwig are appropriate at a time such as this, and I don't think we will read anything like that by any media outlet, excluding internet sites such as this.

[andy-hughes]

I would also like to add my condolences at this very sad time.

In the fullness of time, it may be pertinent to analyse the exact circumstances of this tragic event - but today is not the day ludwig.

[sandyRoe]

Do all batsmen not wear protective helmets now?

[mallyh]

i think he had a helmet on sandy

[andy-hughes]

sandyRoe - "Do all batsmen not wear protective helmets now?"

They do, but there is a design compromise between providing enough coverage just under the ear - where the fatal ball struck, and allowing the batsman enough head movement to be able to play properly.

So the helmet worn was a model since superceeded by one with a slightly larger coverage, which may have avoided this tragedy, but that is obviously not relavent.

So yes, batsmen to do wear safety gear to protect vulnerable body parts, but it is impossible to legislate for a freak tragedy like this.

[Sqad]

ludwig does indeed have a point and he is not being disrespectful in pointing it out.............even today and must be addressed at some point.

Bowling bouncers is an aggressive form of intimdating one's opponent and is meant to cause physical hardship......whatever that may involve.

A tragedy for all concerned....Hughes and the bowler were big "buddies."

[Cloverjo]

The bowler must be feeling terrible. I just heard a man on Sky News say that thought he must be thinking of quitting the sport. Why on earth should he?

[queenofmean]

Same age as me, it's such a shame he had all his future before him. Thinking of his family and friends. Rest In Peace xx

[andy-hughes]

Cloverjo - "The bowler must be feeling terrible. I just heard a man on Sky News say that thought he must be thinking of quitting the sport. Why on earth should he?"

It's less likely that he feels the need to quit because he feels something like this may happen again - more likely that he feels his every action in the sport will be tainted for him by the memory of this dreadful day.

I feel so sorry for him.

[RandyMarsh]

What a tragedy. Lost a good one there.

[Cloverjo]

So do I, andy. Poor guy.

[RandyMarsh]

a bouncer is a legitimate delivery in cricket, the game would be poorer without it.

[Peter Pedant]

// thought he must be thinking of quitting the sport. Why on earth should he?" //

It is the other side of the Ferguson question to the p'liceman - is there anything you could have done not to have this awful outcome ?

" yeah - not get out of bed on that day...."


altho it is now called PTSD - plenty of people give up the activity that had led to serious injury - bus driving, lorry driving, power boating etc.

[Cloverjo]

I meant that he shouldn't feel so bad about this that he felt he should quit. He was doing his job, one that hundreds of cricketers do every day. It had a freak tragic outcome. It would be a further loss to the sport if he felt so bad about this that he never played again, or worse, that it affected his mental well-being for ever.

[andy-hughes]

Cloverjo - "I meant that he shouldn't feel so bad about this that he felt he should quit. He was doing his job, one that hundreds of cricketers do every day. It had a freak tragic outcome. It would be a further loss to the sport if he felt so bad about this that he never played again, or worse, that it affected his mental well-being for ever."

I entirely agree.

Intellectually, he knows he is not to blame, it was a tragic accident, and should not blight his career and his life.

But emotionally - an area of which he has no control whatsoever, it will.

[bhg481]

He might argue to himself that a deliberate action on his part, albeit with an unexpected consequence, cost a good friend his life.

[anotheoldgit]

I played much cricket in my younger days and in those far off days we wore only caps, gloves and knee pads.

What I would like to ask is, has there been a change in the rules that allows dangerous bowling?

Are the deliveries much faster, and if so how?

Is the ball any heavier or harder than it once was?

Just asking, and in no way trying to divert from this sad episode in cricket.

[bhg481]

AOG - body-line bowling was probably always allowed but cricket was played by gentlemen in our era, who chose not to be so unsporting.

[maggiebee]

Just heard a report that Phil Hughes was wearing a helmet and the ball was a "bouncer". Not being into cricket I'm exactly sure that that means. That being said it's a very sad loss to his family and friends. RIP Phil.

[andy-hughes]

AOG - "Are the deliveries much faster, and if so how?"

I am not a player, but i am an avid watcher, so I am thinking out loud here -

there is no doubt that modern sportsmen are a lot fitter and stronger than their forebears - and that certainly applies in cricket.

The subtlties of the older game which involved far more strategic bowling and placing of fielders appears to have been superceded by a far more ferocious bowling style, which can and does involve head injuries, but that is matched by an equally ferocious batting approach in the modern game.

As far as the weight of the ball, I have no idea, but there is plenty of visual evidence of the speed with which the modern bowler can launch a ball at a batsman.

I'd want a suit of armour if I was out there!