As Australia prays for critically injured South Australia batsman Phillip Hughes, Test legend and WA coach Justin Langer summed up the shock felt by many within the cricket community.
Hughes remains in an induced coma in St Vincent's hospital in Sydney, where he had surgery on Tuesday night to relieve swelling on the brain after he was felled by a bouncer by New South Wales quick Sean Abbott.
Langer, a veteran of 105 Tests, worked extensively with Hughes in his time as Australia's batting coach. He spoke to the media on Tuesday but by Wednesday morning felt the situation was too grave to speak further.
"Truthfully, I am too upset to talk," Langer texted Radio 6PR's Breakfast program.
"It is very raw at the moment. I would prefer not to talk on radio today."
The current round of Sheffield Shield matches have been called off and WA captain Adam Voges told the radio station that news of Hughes' injury had cast a pall over the remainder of play on Tuesday.
WA's Shaun Marsh looms as a potential Test call-up after smacking a century against Victoria on Tuesday. But the situation surrounding Hughes - also in the running for a Test spot - had put cricketing fortunes into perspective amongst the WA team.
"I think a lot of the guys are just in a little bit of shock," Voges said.
"One thing I do know is Hughesy is very much a fighter. A lot of the guys are distraught, some are affected more than others.
"Yesterday, once news filtered around the ground, the game went very flat, there was not a lot of celebration when wickets fell.
"Shaun Marsh hit three consecutive sixes to get to 100 but it was a very subdued celebration."
Former WA captain Marcus North, now based in the UK, debuted for Australia alongside fellow first-Test man Hughes in South Africa in 2009.
He also tweeted his support for the 26-year-old.
Can't believe the news I have woken up to. Thoughts and prayers with you and your family mate. Keep fighting hard Hughesy!
#cricketfamily — Marcus North (@Marcus_North)
November 25, 2014
