Sri Lanka's Karunaratne 'in no danger' after bouncer hit

Sri Lankan opener Dimuth Karunaratne was in "no danger" after being stretchered off in a neck brace following a nasty hit from a bouncer by Pat Cummins in the second cricket Test in Canberra on Saturday.

Playing in his 58th Test, Karunaratne was 46 not out when the rising ball glanced off his shoulder and onto his helmet, close to the neck area.

He slumped to the ground, dropping his bat as Australian players ran to assist.

A doctor and physio sprinted onto the ground and called for more medics and after some 10 minutes he was put onto a stretcher and taken off the field on a golf buggy before being sent to hospital for checks.

Coach Chandika Hathurusingha said he was "in good spirits" and in "no danger".

"It was a bit scary at the start the way he fell back, but he was okay throughout, he was talking to the umpires and the physio," he said after play ended for the day.

"It hit on the back of the neck so he is being assessed."