Abbott to sit out club fixtures

Sydney, Dec 5 (IANS) Australian fast bowler Sean Abbott whose bouncer proved fatal for Phillip Hughes would be sitting out this weekend’s round of club fixtures as Sydney Club Cricket returns after the tragic incident.

The 22-year-old who plays for Sydney University in grade cricket will miss the next few matches along with New South Wales (NSW) team-mate and left arm pacer Mitchell Starc.

He, however, returned to training Tuesday before turning up for the Hughes' funeral Wednesday. According to his state side, Abbott is yet to decide on his future with many former players and experts saying that they had doubts on his ability to play at the highest level again.

According to NSW chief executive Andrew Jones, the call would be Abbott’s and all the other cricketers who witnessed the horrifying injury whether to play in the game against Queensland.

"He's in the same boat as everybody else," Jones was quoted as saying Daily Mail. "It's a matter for him to see what he wants to do so we'll let him make that decision."

"We'll just regroup then and confirm where everybody is at and if everyone's comfortable to play or not comfortable to play or where individuals are at, and go from there," he added.

The pitch where Hughes was struck would not feature again at the Sydney Cricket Ground over Australia's summer of cricket, having been "retired" by groundskeepers