Badday one and all.

[bluntlarry]

I am sorry for the loss of a young man to the family and tho the sporting world. RIP

[fletty]

Yes, it has been a sad day for his family, friends and the wide World of cricket. Driving home from work this afternoon I was listening to ABC radio, something that would have been a bit difficult for you bluntlarry, and I heard some of the most beautiful and sensitive tributes from people who had probably never met the talented young man. One of the most beautiful was from a mother who was washing her son's cricket whites for next weekend. She was thinking of his mother and how she would have washed his whites. On the spur of the moment she went upstairs, kissed her son and told him that she loved him.
we sometimes forget how fragile life is and how there are some who simply and unexpectedly don't come home. I tell my daughters every day that I love them.
fletty

[wheelinround]

Not a fan of cricket but this did touch the heart.

I think back to when and why helmets were introduced and he was wearing one .

Then I also consider motorbike helmets and pushbike helmet, even our military and police wear helmets and vests.

I am not trying to turn this into a debate on safety gear we are not invincible.

[Handyjack]

Died doing what he loved. A freakish accident.

[rwbuild]

Just arrived in Sri Lanka today and the local taxi driver said the Sri Lankan people were praying for him, his family and the bowler and are saddened by his death.

[rrich]

Of course not being a fan and unsure of the rules.....

A question here. As a bouncer, is it possible that the ball hit a stone and was deflected from the bowler's intended path?

It is not unusual for a batted ball in American Baseball to take an odd hop upon striking a stone.

[Big Shed]

Of course not being a fan and unsure of the rules.....

A question here. As a bouncer, is it possible that the ball hit a stone and was deflected from the bowler's intended path?

It is not unusual for a batted ball in American Baseball to take an odd hop upon striking a stone.

Here you go Rich, all you ever wanted to know about bouncers in cricket.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouncer_%28cricket%29

[Christos]

Of course not being a fan and unsure of the rules.....

A question here. As a bouncer, is it possible that the ball hit a stone and was deflected from the bowler's intended path?

It is not unusual for a batted ball in American Baseball to take an odd hop upon striking a stone.

Stones are not normally found on a prepared cricket pitch.

[Sir Stinkalot]

As a bouncer, is it possible that the ball hit a stone and was deflected from the bowler's intended path?

Not likely. In this instance it just appears to be an unfortunate incident. With the ball coming down at 140-150 km/hr it would have only taken a fraction of a second and the outcome may have been different. The batsman was wearing a helmet and if he was just a fraction faster, or perhaps even slower, at reacting to the path of the ball it may have missed or hit somewhere else on the helmet and all would have been ok.

We wouldn't have stones, however as the pitch dries and wears out it is quite common for cracks to start to appear in the surface. Bowlers will often aim at the cracks on the chance that the ball may do something a little unexpected, perhaps deviating off line, bouncing higher or perhaps staying lower, all to catch the batsman unaware and perhaps force a mistake and costing them their wicket. Whilst there may be intent to intimidate a batsman I don't think anybody playing the game would intentionally set out to harm another player, and it wasn't the case in this instance.

It was just a very sad incident for all involved and would have been shattering for his family and friends.