Expert says bouncer would have felt like bullet to Hughes

A cricket biomechanics expert believes that Australian batsman Phillip Hughes, who was struck by a bouncer on the head, would have felt as if he had been hit by a bullet.

According to Dr Edouard Ferdinands, the actual pressure would have felt like a bullet as the ball was small. He said that the ball had hit him in a crucial part of the brain. He further said batsmen are usually vulnerable to short-pitched deliveries as even modern helmets only cover the head partially, News.com.au reported.

There needs to be extra padding that extends down the neck, covering the head fully. It would be something that needs to be addressed, he added.

Adding another viewpoint, other experts said that the injuries engendered by a cricket ball could have the same effect as those suffered in a high speed crash, skydiving or in horror ski accidents.

Sports doctor Peter Larkins admitted that a direct hit anywhere on the skull could cause the most serious injuries.