Cricket rallies around Sean Abbott

Update

The cricket community worldwide is in mourning today following the death of Phillip Joel Hughes, aged 25.

Cricket Australia announced the news with a statement from team doctor Peter Brukner. 

Read more here.

Earlier

As the cricketing community rallies around Phillip Hughes, many thoughts are with Sean Abbott who delivered the ball that struck the left-handed batsman.

Hughes, 25, remains in a critical condition after being struck on the lower back of the neck by an Abbott delivery during the second session of the West End Redbacks' Bupa Sheffield Shield match with NSW Blues on Tuesday.

Abbott, a former teammate of Hughes with the Blues, was one of the first NSW players to attend to the South Australian opener and cradled him as medical personnel arrived.

"It says a lot about Sean doesn't it," Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland told Austereo radio on Wednesday.

"Sean will have all the support he needs around him.

"I'm sure his teammates and everyone don't feel in any way ill of him for what happened.

"It's a freak, freak incident that's happened."

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Mr Sutherland said the highest level of support was being offered to Abbott as well as all Australian and Shield players around the country.

Officials from the Australian Cricketers Association - chief executive Alistair Nicholson, National Player Development and Wellbeing Manager Ben Smith and Manager of Cricket Operations & Membership Graham Manou - have flown to Sydney from Melbourne to be with the players.

"Not wanting to individualise players, in regards to how they're going, but he's got a lot of support," Nicholson said of Abbott.

"(A lot of support) from his teammates and then also the counselling services.

"He's someone that we're monitoring closely and know he's got a lot of support around him."

Sutherland said players and support staff are suffering.

"Obviously it's difficult for them," he said.

"They're all very close to Phil; he's a really popular guy.

"Not just here in Australia but around the world."

Sutherland said everyone was feeling for Hughes and Abbott.

"Like everyone … there's not very nice feelings at the moment.

"We've got a great support team around each of our state teams but also Cricket Australia.

"They'll have all the counselling and other support they need right now."

Messages from the cricket community flowed on social media for both Hughes and Abbott.

Former Australian Test cricketer Bryce McGain said Hughes and Abbott are good friends.

"They've been close mates all the way through," he told ABC on Wednesday.

"Phil Hughes started his cricket with NSW as a teenager - all these boys grew up together.

"It's a shock for them all."