Israeli umpire dies days after Hughes
AS sporting and wider communities the world over mourn the loss of 25-year-old rising star Phillip Hughes, Israel’s cricket community has been rocked by a similar freak accident.
Former Israeli captain and international cricket umpire, Hillel Awasker, was killed during a league game in the southern port city of Ashdod on Saturday. This coming just days after Hughes was announced dead, succumbing to injured sustained when the ball made contact with his head after a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG.
According to spectators, the ball was struck by the batsman, before ricocheting off the stumps and colliding into the Awasker’s upper body. It is reported that the 55-year-old immediately suffered a severe heart attack.
Magen David Adom paramedics provided initial treatment to Awasker, who was unconscious and without a pulse, before he was evacuated to Barzilai Medical Centre in Ashkelon where he couldn’t be revived.
The catastrophic incident occurred during the final league match of the season after which Lions Lod was set to celebrate winning the championship.
CEO of the Israel Cricket Association Naor Gudker said, “The cricket family bows it head over the passing of Hillel Awasker.
“This is a tragedy for his family and for cricket in Israel. This is a ‘one-in-a-million’ accident. It happened to an Australian player and I don’t know how it arrived at our doorstep.
“I’m sure world cricket will look into what happened in the last week and we will also investigate the incident, but I’m not sure there was anything we could have done as we act according to all rules and regulations.”
Meanwhile, players and officials of the Maccabi junior cricket club’s in both Melbourne and Sydney staged commemorative ceremonies and a minute’s silence for Hughes and Oscar prior to the start of games on the weekend. In a mark of respect, batsman were asked to retire at 63 runs rather than the traditional 50 runs, reflecting the number of runs Hughes was on when he suffered the fatal head injury.
ADAM BLAU
Photo: Hillel Awasker (middle). Israel Cricket Association
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