Daniel Hughes suffers injury scare after bouncer knocks him unconscious

Almost exactly two months after a bouncer to Phillip Hughes forever changed the way cricket is viewed by players and spectators alike, another similar delivery on a similarly hard Australian pitch crept under the helmet of Daniel Hughes and struck his neck during a grade cricket match in Sydney on Saturday. Onlooking crowds were silenced in horror as the ball struck the luckier Hughes right below the ear and the batsman was brought down to his knees.

The landing place of the ball was millimetres from hitting the exact same artery in the body that split and left Phillip Hughes unbeaten on 61 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 25, according to News Corp.

The 25-year-old namesake, who is not related to Phillip, was batting for Northern District against Blacktown, when he failed to time a hook shot off bowler Cameron Nupier. He was later taken to hospital for tests and CT scans but was cleared of any major damage and released.

“His neck was swelling up and we thought ‘oh God’,’’ Northern Districts president Mike Langford said.

“This Phil Hughes thing has gone deeper. You know how it was at the time. It’s in the back of everyone’s mind now and especially something ironic about last name Hughes and hit in the same spot and everyone was just like ‘oh God.’

“But at no stage was he convulsing or throwing up or any of that sort. We got him in the club room and then we called an ambulance. He had CT scans and that came back with some good news saying there’s no burst.”

Never been as scared: Molan

His girlfriend, TV reporter Erin Molan, said that Hughes is recovering and has a huge lump on the side of his head.

"I got a call saying he's been hit in the head with a ball, he's collapsed and there's an ambulance on the way, you've got to get here. I don't think I've ever been so scared in my life.

"He's got the lump on the side of his head the size of a cricket ball, its horrendous. It's unbelievable and given their same surname it's quite terrifying. Daniel played a lot of cricket growing up with Phil through the juniors. We're all just glad he's okay."

A former junior team-mate of Phillip Hughes, Daniel Hughes has played for New South Wales in the Sheffield Shield this summer and has been a regular in the Sydney Thunder BBL line-up.

Hughes was set to play in the NSW Futures League team in their four-day match against Western Australia starting on Monday but Cricket NSW has said he will not be ready to play.

"He's resting, It's a bit soon after the concussion he received," said Cricket NSW state talent manager David Freedman. "We'll just monitor him throughout the week and hopefully he'll be available for comp cricket next week.”