The cricketing world was jolted Thursday by the death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, who was hit by a fatal bouncer during a match.
Such tragedies have time and again cast a pall on the game. Here is a brief list:
Raman Lamba (1960-1998)
Lamba, from Uttar Pradesh, has played four Tests and 32 ODIs for India. In February 1998, Lamba was hit on head while fielding at short leg during a Bangladesh league match in Dhaka. Initially, he claimed to be fine, but later the injury proved fatal. Lamba died at the age of 38.
Wasim Raja (1952-2006)
An all-rounder, he played 57 Tests and 54 ODIs for Pakistan. In a sparkling first-class career, he scored 11,434 runs in 250 matches (avg: 35.18). Raja, who became an ICC match referee after retirement, died while playing for Surrey Over 50s in Buckinghamshire. A left-handed batsman and spinner, Raja suffered a heart attack on field in August 2003, and collapsed near the boundary while being taken out.
Syed Faaqer Ali (1973-2008)
He was the son of cricketer Abid Ali and son-in-law of Syed Kirmani. He died in 2008 during a club match in California, US.
Wilf Slack (1954-1989)
Wilf Slack played three Tests and two ODIs for England. The leftie who was a member of the Middlesex county team collapsed and died during a match at the age of 34, in 1989. He had reportedly suffered quite a few blackouts over the previous two years, but tests could not detect anything.
Ian Folley (1963-1993)
Folley played for Lancashire and Derbyshire. The 30-year-old right-handed batsman died from a heart attack while undergoing treatment for a blow below the eye. He sustained the injury when he was batting for the Cumbrian Whitehaven on August 30, 1993. 30.
(Source: sportskeeda, cricinfo.com)
# Before and after the advent of helmets and high quality protective gear, batsmen have been critically injured by fast bouncers. Here's a list of cricketers who sustained serious inuries, but got out of trouble.
Nari Contractor hit by Charlie Griffith
Indian captain Nari Contractor was hit on the head by a brutish short ball from Charlie Griffith during a match against Barbados in the 1961-62 series in the West Indies.
Contractor who collapsed on the pitch with a fractured skull, underwent emergency brain operation and was unconscious for six days. He never played international cricket again, but he managed some first-class games.
Gary Kirsten hit by Akhtar bouncer
Former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten was left badly injured by Pakistani fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar during a Test match in 2003.
Kirsten tried to hook a short one from the Rawalpindi Express but missed the ball completely. The ball sneaked in through the visor of his helmet and hit him just below the left eye. He had ten stitches and also sustained a broken nose.
Mark Vermulen gets a freak injury
In 2004, Zimbabwe's Mark Vermeulen fractured his skull after being hit by a bouncer from Irfan Pathan in a triangular series match against India in Brisbane.
Vermeulen top-edged a hook and the ball struck him above the right eye crashing in between the visor and grill of his helmet.
Vermeulen was rushed to a hospital where he had reconstructive surgery for a depressed skull fracture. He spent three hours in surgery and left with a plate in his head and a warning from doctors that if he got hit again, he will never survive.
After the injury Vermeulen was out of international cricket until he made a lucky comeback earlier this year.
Gutsy Kumble bowls despite broken jaw
This is one of the most courageous gestures ever on the cricket field.
Anil Kumble suffered a broken jaw after being hit by a rising delivery from paceman Mervyn Dillon on the second day of the Antigua test in 2002.
But Kumble, with his face heavily bandaged, came on to bowl and even got the wicket of Brian Lara before flying to Bangalore for surgery.
Malcolm Marshall cracks Gatting's nose
England batsman Mike Gatting's nose was smashed by a bouncer from Windies speedster Malcolm Marshall in the first ODI in Jamaica in 1986.
The ball hit Gatting full on his face and then fell on to the stumps dismissing him
'Waltzing' McCosker braves fractured jaw
Australian opener Richard McCosker was hit by a brute of a delivery from England fast bowler Bob Willis in the 1977 centenary Test.
McCosker's jaw was broken in two places, but he returned to bat in the second innings, walking out to chants of "Waltzing McCosker" from the crowd.
He batted without any protection to his shattered jaw and hooked the first bouncer he faced for four.
Abdul Aziz died after being hit on chest
The only batsman before Phillip Hughes to die on the cricket pitch from a short ball was Pakistan's Abdul Aziz. In 1959, he was hit in the chest while batting in Karachi and collapsed on the field. 17-year old Aziz had a weak heart, and died from the blow.
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