SYDNEY - Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes died Thursday from a catastrophic injury to his head, two days after being struck by a delivery during a match.Australia captain Michael Clarke, trying to compose himself several times, read a brief statement on behalf of Hughes parents, brother and sister at a news conference at St. Vincents Hospital that was broadcast live around Australia.Were devastated by the loss of our much-loved son and brother Phillip. Cricket was Phillips life, and we as a family shared that love of the game with him ... We love you, Clarke read, holding back tears before leaving the room.Hughes was wearing a helmet Tuesday when he was hit after attempting to hook a short-pitch ball from New South Wales fast bowler Sean Abbott.Dr. Tony Grabs, a surgeon and director of trauma services who treated Hughes at St. Vincents, said the 25-year-old cricketer had died from a rare injury — there have been only 100 documented cases of vertebral artery dissection — which resulted in severe bleeding on his brain.We did a CAT scan of the head to determine what we could do, Grabs said. This occurred very early and it was recognized we had to make an intervention to help get the pressure down in the brain. He had extensive surgery to remove some of the skull from around his brain to help allow the brain to expand so it wasnt compressed.Australian team doctor Peter Brukner said Hughes recovery did not go as hoped.Over a period of the first 24 to 48 hours he did not make very much improvement and unfortunately, as a consequence of the injury, he died, Brukner said.Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland said Hughes was immensely talented and dearly loved: Without doubt, he was a rising star whose best cricket was still ahead of him.The word tragedy gets used too often in sport, but this freak accident is real life tragedy, Sutherland said. Just days short of his 26th birthday, Phillip has been taken away from us too soon. He will forever be remembered as one of the elite few to have worn the baggy green cap, cap number 408.Also at the news conference, doctors said Hughes was in the care of two specialist doctors before an ambulance and paramedics arrived at the Sydney Cricket Ground, making their delayed response less relevant, Brukner said. It took two phone calls and 15 minutes for an ambulance to get to an unconscious Hughes.I think ambulance waiting time is really more relevant when the injured person is not being treated, Brukner said. I think by any standard or observation, he was receiving excellent quality treatment. Hence, he arrived at the hospital in excellent condition.Brukner announced the death earlier Thursday in a statement, saying Hughes never regained consciousness. The statement was issued shortly after Australian opener David Warner, one of the first players to help Hughes when he collapsed on the field, had left the hospital in tears.Hughes mother and sister were at the match when he was he was hurt, and kept vigil at the hospital. Clarke, a close friend, was among dozens of former and current teammates and stars of the game who visited the hospital to offer their support.Prime Minister Tony Abbott described Hughes as a young man living out his dream, adding its a very sad day for cricket and a heartbreaking day for his family.Messages of support poured in from all around the world after Hughes stumbled, leaned over and then collapsed after being hit behind the left ear when he mis-timed a short-pitch delivery while batting for South Australia against New South Wales in a Sheffield Shield match.Deaths are rare in cricket, although Hughes is the second player in two years to sustain a fatal blow.Darryn Randall, who was 32 and a former first-class player in South Africa, was killed after being struck on the side of the head during a Border Cricket Board Premier League match in the Eastern Cape last year.At the Australian Open golf tournament not far from St. Vincents, a large gallery following Adam Scott heard of Hughes death and some wiped tears from their eyes.Hughes played 26 test matches for Australia after making his debut in 2009, but despite a sparkling start to his international career at 19, he was not able to earn a regular spot in the starting lineup.After making 75 in his first test innings against South Africa in Johannesburg, he posted centuries in each innings of his second test, becoming the youngest player ever to do that in test cricket. But he struggled on the subsequent tour of England and was in and out of the Australian team four more times. He was on the verge of another test recall when he was fatally struck.The injury sparked debate about short-pitch bowling in the game.Bouncers, where a fast bowler aims to push the batsman back toward the stumps with a ball that lands halfway down the pitch and rears up above chest or head height, are still a regular and acceptable part of the game.The International Cricket Council revised its laws on short-pitch bowling in the early 1990s, putting restrictions on the number of short-pitch balls allowed per over to stamp out bowlers merely using the delivery to intimidate batsmen.Sutherland said Sean Abbott was being counselled, had visited Hughes in the hospital and had been consoled by Clarke and members of Hughes family.___AP Sports Writer John Pye in Brisbane, Australia, contributed to this story. Cheap Jerseys 2020 ." Bach is in Rome for the European Olympic Committees general assembly and meetings with Pope Francis. He also visited with Italian Premier Enrico Letta. "The prime minister appeared to be interested in a bid from Italy for 24, because he has realized that the games can serve as a catalyst for development for a city and a country," Bach told The Associated Press on Saturday. Cheap Authentic Jerseys 2020 . This week they discuss Russias mens hockey team, the ineptitude of the IOC handling the Nicklas Backstrom situation, John Tortorellas many apologies, and Canadas strong showing in curling. https://www.wholesalejerseysreview.com/. As their best player continued to orchestrate his dramatic exit from the club, the Whitecaps added size and creativity at Thursdays Major League Soccer SuperDraft. Cheap NFL Jerseys 2020 . Raonic, the No. 8 seed from Thornhill, Ont., fired 11 aces and did not have a double-fault as he comfortably advanced to the third round at the Masters Series event. Wholesale Jerseys 2020 . Alfredo Simon lowered his ERA to 0.86, and the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 4-1 Friday for their 16th win in their last 17 games at the Friendly Confines. Heading into this weekends three game set with Tampa Bay, the Blue Jays have 35 games left to play. They have to make up a four game deficit on Detroit for the second Wild Card spot. Theyre also 3.5 games back of Seattle, are tied with the Yankees and are sitting just a half-game ahead of Cleveland. It will take a 23-12 stretch run, just to finish at 88 wins and there is no guarantee even that will be enough, But I suppose the key point is, they are still alive with just 38 days remaining in the season and are still playing "meaningful" ball. I decided to look back at six of Jays most significant seasons to see just how they did from August 15 up until the regular seasons final day. Lets start with 1984, the year the Blue Jays had the best team of their young history. Detroit started out that season 35-5 and looked unbeatable. The Jays, to their credit stayed relatively close for most of the season. In mid-August, they were (68-51), But from that point on they went (21-22) and didnt win two in a row after September 12 to finish at (89-73). In 1985 the Blue Jays won their first division title, eliminating the Yankees and clinching the top spot with a victory over Billy Martin and company on the final Saturday of the regular season at Exhibition Stadium. On August 16th of that season, the Jays were (72-43), while this years Jays were 63-60 on the same date. The Jays went 27-19 down the stretch, though they did drop five of their last six to give the Yanks one last fleeting chance. Bobby Cox and the troops finish with a franchise record 99 victories. 1987 was the year of the heartbreak. The Blue Jays lead the AL East over Detroit with just seven games to play. Rocked by injuries to Tony Fernandez and Ernie Whitt, they dropped all seven including the final three at Tigers Stadium and finished second to Detroit. That year they were 69-48 in mid-August and went (27-18) the rest of the way. In 1989, the Blue Jays won their second division title, and ultimately lost the ALCS in five games to Oakland. Still, the season featured a great stretch run. They were just (60-59) on August 15, two games worse off than they are this season. Cito Gastons crew went 29-14 the rest of the way to take the East with an 89-73 mark. In 1991 they laid claim to their third division title, before losing to Minnesoota in five in the ALCS, dropping the last three at home.dddddddddddd They did play well over the last six weeks, going 28-18 to finish at 91-71. In 1992 it all came together as they won their first World Series title beating Atlanta in six games. They were 20 games over .500 on August 15 at 68-48 and finished with another 28-18 run to wind up at 96-66, the second best record in club history. In 1993 the Blue Jays made it a repeat by beating Philadelphia in six, winning the series at home on Joe Carters "Touch em all, Joe" walk off homer against Mitch Williams. The Jays went 27-16 down the stretch that season to finish at 95-67. The bottom line is this: If the Blue Jays need to finish at 23-12 at the very least, they have only done that twice before in franchise history in the years they made the post-season. In 1989 when they were won 15 more games than they lost and 1993, when they won 11 more than they lost. Those were decidedly stronger teams and won division titles and the 93 World Series. If the Blue Jays make the playoffs now even as a Wild Card, it would be an epic achievement considering the odds. Cuban Option A number of teams had been monitoring the workouts of Cuban defector Rusney Castillo with the Red Sox agreeing to terms with him on Friday on a reported seven-year, $72.5 million deal. Castillo has a bit of pop in his bat and can play either 2B or CF. It puzzles me why the Blue Jays havent been in on this 27-year-old. They have needs in both those areas, and they wouldnt have to give up anything but money to get him. On The Farm Big night for the kids Thursday night at Buffalo. Lefty Daniel Norris ran his record to 3-0 with the Herd and dropped his ERA to 1.08. He struck out nine over five innings in Buffalos 5-1 victory over Scranton Wilkes-Barre. Norris has 32 strikeouts in 16-plus innings with the Bisons. Anthony Gose batting second and playing right field tied a Buffalo modern record by stealing four bases in the game and 21-year-old Dalton Pompey made his Triple-A debut in front of a crowd of 11,134 batting leadoff and playing centre field. The 21 year old Mississauga, ON-native went 1-for-4, with his first Triple-A hit coming in the fifth inning on a single. At the very least, all three figure to be September call-ups. ' ' '