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Yes. They're delicious. At least the Victorian ones are. :)

Rest in Peace."
Sorry to hear that, so sad.

You can't even say anything like "well they know when they walk on the cricket pitch that this could happen" because it simply doesn't happen. I can't imagine any man or woman playing cricket ever thinks that today they could get hit in the wrong place with a ball and die. injured yes, die no.
If he'd been wearing the new helmet I don't think he would have died. They say there's no telling, but I think there is enough new curve to the metal cage around the ear to have made that hit less intense.

The surgeon is saying that he was only about one of 100 people who have died in the way he did, and only the second cricketer.


The media is calling it a "freakish" death and I think they are possibly right. It is, at least, incredibly rare.
The really freakish thing was that it wasn't instantly fatal. Apparently, death is usually instantaneous.

I am worried about what changes will come about after this. I hope they don't remove the bouncer from the game. The rarity of the accident (as Margaret pointed out, only the second cricketer to have it happen to) proves how freakish it was. There was a time where there were no helmets worn.
In fact not wearing a helmet was the quickest way to draw a bowler's bouncers.
Then they changed the rules to only two bouncers an Over. Which was good and added extra craftsmanship to the bowling attack.
Hard to imagine any Australian bowlers, now or in the future, will give the batsman the glare after delivering a blisteringly fast bouncer from now on. Cricket players will be scarred for life by this awful death. They'll no doubt feel guilty for staring down a batsman after a bouncer.
no doubt they will still use bouncers. Won't be for a while though I'd imagine.
They should start using them straight away in the game. To break the stigma.
I feel so sorry for the bowler, Abbott. That ball has changed his life, the poor bugger.


I am worried about what changes will come about after this. I hope they don..."
Agreed about Abbott. That delivery will haunt him for the rest of his life. I won't be surprised if he decides to quit the sport.

I am worried about what changes will come about after this. I..."
We were discussing that here at work this morning. The boss and I agree that we will be surprised if Sean Abbott even picks up a bat to play backyard cricket after this.
How he copes will also depend on the intent when he bowled. Was it an accidental bouncer or a deliberate one? That could make all the difference to how he copes with what happened.

A couple of people that design helmets have already said they can't find a way to protect that part of the neck and not interfere with the batsman's movement range.

I think they said the ball was travelling at over 130kms an hour, so it isn't going to protect entirely, it just needs to reduce impact somehow. Knock you out, but not knock you to the stage where you'll die.

They did an interview with the manufacturers yesterday, who are an English company & that was their take as well, they even went as far to say that batsman had commented already to that effect wrt movement.
Feel for the bowler as well as you guys have mentioned already

I wouldn't be surprised either. they say he's spending a lot of time in counselling and fellow cricketers are spending time with him giving support. Hughes' sister also spent a long time with Abbott at the hospital talking with him.
I hope he hangs in there and he continues in the game. Continues to bowl well. That was an awesome bouncer. Unfortunate/unlucky that Hughes played it so badly.

I think they said the ball wa..."
There is another thing to say Terri, one thats not easy maybe & that is they always say dont take your eye of the short ball/bouncer & face it as long as possible, then even it does hit you, the helmet will do its job as it will hit virtually head-on, mind easy to say when your not facing a delivery at about 90mph

I am sure something like this, only thinner and less obtrusive so it doesn't affect the batsman, could be designed to protect the back of the neck.
Brent is very active with his head. Giving and receiving passes like the master he is.


Exactly. Accidents happen. Stuff ups happen. But he did play it badly. Maybe the changes after this incident will be to have better training sessions, at all levels of cricketing, littlies to adult, on how to handle bouncers safely.

I know nothing about cricket and only a little about baseball, but is it possible to set up a rule like a 'strike zone' in American baseball where if a ball is thrown not within a certain area, it is considered a foul ball?

No. Because unlike baseball, in cricket the ball should strike the ground before it's hit at.
A full toss will usually get called a No Ball.

There are actually very few accidents in cricket.
The bat is held differently. Unlike baseball where the bat is at shoulder level, a cricket bat is held in front of the legs with the tip resting on the ground.
No batsman would have a hope in hell of hitting a full toss.
When the bowler (cricket's version of a pitcher) bowls the ball must hit within a designated area of the pitch before the batsman strikes it. The ball landing outside or going above shoulder height will have it deemed a no ball.
The idea is for the ball to hit the wickets behind the batsman... so a ball above hip height is useless hence the No Ball ruling.

A wide ball, where the ball goes wide of the pitch and the batsman again has no hope in hell of hitting it, will result in a 1 run score for the batting team. Wides are to be avoided at all costs by the bowler.

In 1975 New Zealander tail end bunny Ewen Chatfield was struck in the temple by a ball leaving him unconscious.
In a One Day series between Australia and New Zealand in the mid 80s, Australian bowler Rodney Hogg attempted to intimidate and traumatise Ewen by bowling bouncers directly at him.
This infuriated New Zealand bowlers Richard Hadlee and Lance Cairns who swore revenge.
When the Australians went in to bat they waited until Rodney Hogg was on strike. I cannot remember now whether it was Richard or Lance bowling that over, but which ever one it was turned the tables on Rodney... resulting in his ear being torn open by a ball.
I sat and cheered.

They'll probably look at the rules again in light of this tragedy, but as to what they can actually change I'm not quite sure.

I wouldn't be surprised either. they say he's sp..."
Even if he decides to continue playing, I'm sure he'll never be the same cricketer. As he'll always have that delivery in the back of his mind everytime he bowls.

They'll probably look at the rules again in light of this tragedy, but as to what they can actually change I'm not quite sure."
Probably, but like you I'm not actually sure there are any constructive changes they can make without bollocksing up the game further.



It certainly will be difficult for him to accept he took another life.
many soldiers struggle with taking life even though that life is usually an 'enemy' and a large percentage of the time it is defense of their life against an enemy.
I can't even imagine how Abbott feels right now. Makes me sick to think of it.





www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvBGVXTWgmg in light of the recent release of the movie title I've been relistening to the music score. Just spotted this cover on youtube.

Terri wrote: "Lisa wrote: "I think they knew he was gone from the beginning. I think it is only the fact he was intubated immediately allowed family to say goodbye. Here's hoping the bowler returns to the pitch...."


Had that problem a few weeks ago, frustrated me so much. I just messed around until I sorted it out, can't tell you what I did as I can't remember my self. Sorry for the lack of help.

Time to send the flares up..... gather the troops for a search party.... its been 12hours ;D

Time to send the flares up..... gather the troops for a search party.... its been 12hours ;D"
Yup.
Books mentioned in this topic
The Berry Pickers (other topics)Fortune's Child (other topics)
Hild (other topics)
Sharpe's Command (other topics)
Edenglassie (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Amanda Peters (other topics)Nicola Griffith (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Bernard Cornwell (other topics)
Allan Hands (other topics)
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Random. I know. :)