Aussie club batsman knocked unconscious by bouncer

Daniel Hughes in action for Big Bash side the Sydney Thunder. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY, Jan 25 AAP - NSW and Sydney Thunder batsman Daniel Hughes has been ruled out of a match this week after being concussed in an incident reminiscent of that which killed Phillip Hughes.

Daniel Hughes retired hurt without scoring for Northern District when he was stuck on the neck by a bouncer in a Sydney grade game on Saturday.

Hughes was taken by ambulance to a hospital in northern Sydney having been struck beneath the helmet after he attempted to hook a delivery from new ball bowler Cameron Nupier in the match at Mark Taylor Oval.

SA and Australian batsman Phillip Hughes died in late November, two days after being felled by a Sean Abbott bouncer in identical circumstances at the SCG.

A scan cleared Daniel Hughes of any serious damage and he was released after a couple of hours.

However, he was diagnosed with concussion and has been withdrawn from the NSW team to play WA in a Futures League fixture starting at Blacktown in western Sydney on Monday.

Daniel Hughes, 25, who has averaged 33 across seven Big Bash matches for Thunder this season, has also played two first-class games and one limited-overs match for NSW.

The player's girlfriend, Channel Nine presenter Erin Molan, told the Sydney Sunday Telegraph "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, it's horrendous."

Northern District president Mike Langford told the same newspaper Hughes's neck swelled up after he was struck by the ball.

"We thought 'oh god,"' Langford said.

"This Phil Hughes thing, it's gone deeper ... you know how it was at the time. It's in the back of everyone's mind now and (there was) especially something ironic about the last name Hughes and (being) hit in the same spot.

"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 (artery)."

-AAP