Hughes injury sparks new helmet debate

26 November 2014 - 02:52 By Liam del Carme
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A sequence of images showing Phillip Hughes of South Australia as he is struck on the head by a delivery during day one of the Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday 25 November 2014.
A sequence of images showing Phillip Hughes of South Australia as he is struck on the head by a delivery during day one of the Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday 25 November 2014.
Image: MARK METCALFE/GETTY IMAGES

Despite the fact that serious injuries - like the one that left Australian opening batsmen Phil Hughes in a critical condition in hospital - are rare, cricketers have been strongly advised to wear helmets.

Hughes, who was wearing a helmet, was felled yesterday during a Sheffield Shield match while batting for South Australia against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

The 25-year-old Hughes, who has played 26 Test matches, was shown in television footage being hit as he tried to hit a bouncer bowled by Sean Abbott while playing for South Australia against New South Wales. He grabbed his knee and then collapsed. The bouncer appeared to strike him near the ear, just under his helmet.

The severity of his injury will only be clear in the next 24 hours.

Although helmets, as shown in the Hughes incident, do not insulate batsmen from serious injury, they can be life-savers.

Leading sports physician Dr Jon Patricios says the risk of serious head injury isn't confined to first-class cricket.

Although the speed at which a ball is delivered at that [state] level differs vastly to that at school, the severity of potential trauma remains the same.

"It may be that the ball isn't delivered at such great speed, but the danger remains the same, because you are dealing with a developing brain. I would advise players at all levels to wear helmets," said Patricios.

Proteas wicketkeeper Mark Boucher would probably have had a longer Test career had he worn a helmet while standing up to Imran Tahir in a tour match in Taunton in 2012. A dislodged bail badly damaged Boucher's left eye, ending his career.

Additional reporting by Bloomberg

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