LONDON, CMC- Former West Indies batsman Phil Simmons says he hopes Australia’s Phil Hughes makes a full recovery from a head injury sustained during a state match in Sydney yesterday.
Hughes is in a critical condition after being struck on the head by a bouncer from Sean Abbott in a state match in Sydney yesterday.
Abbott’s delivery struck Hughes on the back of the head beneath his helmet after the batsman had missed a pull shot.
“I was out of hospital in eight days, which none of the doctors expected,” said Simmons who was hit by a David Lawrence ball in 1988 but made a full recovery following life-saving brain surgery.
“I hope he pulls through”.
Simmons was the same age as Hughes – 25 – when he took the blow on the head from a Lawrence short ball and required emergency surgery.
Simmons, who was not wearing a helmet, made a full recovery four months later and resumed his international career the following year.
“My injury was as serious as you can get. I had to have emergency surgery to have a clot removed from my brain,” Simmons, now Ireland coach, told BBC World Service.
“I was written off as never to play again and put in a long-term unit for head injuries, but I was out in eight days.”
