UPDATED: Cricketer Phillip Hughes will have further scans on Wednesday as he fights for his life in a Sydney hospital.
Australian team doctor Peter Brukner says Hughes remains in a critical condition and will have more scans later in the day.
“We hope to be able to provide you with further information after the scans,” Dr Brukner told media outside St Vincent’s Hospital.
Australian Test captain Michael Clarke was one of the first people to arrive at the hospital again on Wednesday morning, joining Hughes’s family as well wishes and support flowed in from the international cricket community.
Hughes remains in an induced coma following Tuesday afternoon’s emergency surgery to reduce pressure on his brain after he was struck on the head mistiming a hook shot at a Sean Abbott delivery while batting for South Australia against NSW at the SCG.
Cricket Australia are offering counselling for players following the incident and chief executive James Sutherland has stressed that everyone in the cricketing community feels for Hughes and Abbott.
“Like everyone … there’s not very nice feelings at the moment,” he said. “They’ll have all the counselling and other support they need right now.”
The SA-NSW match was abandoned on Tuesday and Cricket Australia called off the other two Shield games in Brisbane and Melbourne on Wednesday after consulting players and the Australian Cricketers’ Association.
“Given how players across the country are feeling right now, it’s just not the day to be playing cricket and we understand that,” CA general manager of team performance Pat Howard said.
Cricket NSW assembled the Blues players and staff at the club’s Moore Park headquarters on Wednesday morning to ensure they get counselling and support.
Premier Mike Baird said people across the state are thinking of Hughes as he faces the “fight of his life”.
“I think all of us are still in shock,” Baird said.
The cricketer, who hails from Macksville on the NSW north coast, is in an induced coma in a Sydney hospital.
Hughes, who turns 26 on Sunday, was struck on the back of his neck by a Sean Abbott delivery during South Australia’s Sheffield Shield match with NSW at the SCG on Tuesday.
“An incredible young talent, a sportsman at his peak. To see those circumstances is just absolutely tearing us apart. Our thoughts and prayers are with him and his family,” Baird said.
“It’s hard to imagine worse circumstances coming before someone with such talent.”
South Australia batsman Hughes previously played for NSW for five seasons and has many good mates on the Blues team, including David Warner and Brad Haddin.
“(The players) are doing it tough obviously,” Cricket NSW CEO Andrew Jones told Triple M radio.
“They were pretty shaken up yesterday; it’s not what you expect to happen in a game of cricket.
“Phil was in a pretty bad way when it happened and being opponents and former teammates and mates in many cases, they were the first responders … the first guys on the scene of what was a horrible accident.”
Sutherland said he had received numerous messages of support, including from the New Zealand team touring the United Arab Emirates.
In Colombo, England captain Alastair Cook said he was in shock and added that the thoughts and prayers of his whole team were with Hughes and his family.
Sutherland said the highest level of support was being offered to Abbott, who cradled the injured batsman after he crashed to the ground.
“It says a lot about Sean doesn’t it?” Sutherland said.
“Sean will have all the support he needs around him.
“I’m sure his teammates and everyone don’t feel in any way ill of him for what happened. It’s a freak, freak incident.”
The popular Hughes was wearing a helmet when he was struck but manufacturer Masuri said he was not wearing their most up-to-date model.
“From the footage and pictures currently available to Masuri, it appears that Phil Hughes was struck by the ball to the rear of the grille and below the back of the shell,” the company said.
“This is a vulnerable area of the head and neck that helmets cannot fully protect, while enabling batsmen to have full and proper movement.”
With Australian selector Mark Waugh looking on in the SCG stands, Hughes had put together a composed 63 off 161 balls as he attempted to earn a Test recall for next week’s series opener against India.
He had been considered a leading contender to replace Clarke, who is struggling to recover from a hamstring injury.
Shaun Marsh is now the front-runner to take Clarke’s spot in the Test lineup.
