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Serious injury: Phillip Hughes remains in critical condition, Brian Lara defends bouncers

By Allsports.com.gh
Sports News Serious injury: Phillip Hughes remains in critical condition, Brian Lara defends bouncers
NOV 26, 2014 LISTEN

A short statement from Dr Peter Brukner at 14:10 local time (03:10 GMT) confirmed Hughes' condition had not changed - with the South Australia opener still in the intensive care unit at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney.

"Phillip's condition is unchanged and he remains critical," Brukner said.

Also in Sydney, West Indies cricket great Brian Lara joined the chorus of support for Hughes but said he does not believe the rules around short-pitched bowling should be changed.

Hughes was struck behind the ear by a bouncer while batting for South Australia against New South Wales on Tuesday.

Lara, who scored 11,953 runs in 131 Tests for the West Indies, said the focus should remain on Hughes' full recovery but admitted he would not support a move to ban the bumper.

"It's part of the game and I think they've done their best over the years to curb it and manage it as best as possible," Lara said on Wednesday after playing in the Australian Open golf pro-am.

"It's part of the armoury of a fast bowler and it's very hard to take that totally away from them.

"And there's some batsmen who feed on that sort of attack and I don't believe that it's something that should really affect fast bowlers and the rules governing them."

He added of Hughes' predicament: "It's very unfortunate. The batsman is always in danger of all sorts of different things and you wouldn't wish that and you wouldn't wish something like that to happen at all.

"It's so sad what took place and we just have to pray, I know the whole of Australia and the whole of the cricketing world is praying that the best comes out of this and he comes back to full health.

"Let's hope that he comes back to full fitness - that is the key."

Lara recalled being hit on the back of the head by former Pakistan quick Shoaib Akhtar during his career and said he was aware of the risks he was taking every time he walked to the crease.

"I think it's a sport and you're always going to have that element of risk," he said.

"This is an unfortunate, rare situation and I suppose the authorities will be a little bit worried about something like this and how it happened and if it will ever happen again.

"But I felt pretty safe playing and I know the element of risk and [I will say] a little prayer in the morning and hope for the best.

"I've been struck down a couple times, Shoaib Akhtar and Glenn McGrath and these guys, and fortunately for me it's never been at that level."

He expressed sympathy for Sean Abbott who delivered the ball that struck Hughes and drew parallels to an injury suffered by former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons in the 1980s.

"That sort of end result is not what you aim for and I suppose that bowler will be utterly devastated at the moment and not in a good frame of mind," he said.

"I think it's a very good decision to abandon the game and everybody can sort of recover emotionally and psychologically and get back into it.

"Phil Simmons in 1988 was touring England and playing Gloucestershire and I think he didn't have a helmet and it was a similar thing.

"He had to do surgery and he was back on the cricket field 12 months later but it was a devastating situation as well back then."

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