Former Austraian Test greats, Jason Gillespie has paid tribute to Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes and joined Shane Warne in calling for the cricket world to unite behind bowler Sean Abbott.
Abbott delivered the ball that hit Hughes on the head and left the batsman in a critical condition for two days before he passed away.
“We are all really feeling for Abbott right now,” Gillespie said. “This is a young lad who is 22 years of age just running in and doing his job.
“This is the last thing you would expect to happen on a cricket field and he was bowling to one of his mates as well.”
“It’s important for friends and the cricket community to get round Sean,” Warne told SkySports News. “I’m sure he’ll be distraught, but it’s not his fault.
“Hopefully he’ll be OK and can bounce back,” the former leg-spinner added.
Meanwhile, former England bowler Matthew Hoggard told BBC Sport that the bouncer is part of a fast bowler’s ‘armoury” and Abbott was just trying to take Hughes’ wicket.
“You bowl it to be intimidating, but you don’t bowl it to try and hurt people,” said Hoggard. “To bowl a ball that has resulted in somebody dying has got to be absolutely devastating. Hopefully he can get the support around him and find the strength to carry on. I’m sure Phil would have wanted it because it was a tragic accident.”
Gillespie had coached Hughes on an Australia A tour to Zimbabwe in 2011.
“I had the privilege of coaching Phil on a Australia A tour a few years back,” he said. “You could see back then that he had the ideal temperament and skill set to be a top player in the game. Since then, he made it into the national squad and continued to excel as a fine cricketer.
“It’s truly heart-breaking what has happened and it is still hard to understand how his friends and family are coming to terms with his sad loss.
“You have to understand that a lot of the lads that he played with, when the incident happened in Sydney earlier this week, have grown up playing cricket together and it will be a tough time for them. From over here in the UK it is very hard to comprehend how they’re feeling.
“It is a horrific circumstance and this shouldn’t happen in sport – it’s an absolute tragedy.
“But I don’t think now is the time to start talking about rule changes and safety equipment. There will be a time to discuss those issues, but now is a time to grieve and pay respects.”
James Buttler
As the editor of World Cricket Badger he is intent on building the website to give quality coverage of the domestic game around the world.
He is also the presenter of the Cricket Badger Radio Show on Radio Yorkshire every Tuesday evening between 7-9pm UK time.
James was the full-time Media Manager at Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 2007 and 2010.
James is a published author, a writer/video contributor to many cricket publications and a complete cricket badger!
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