Phillip Hughes' death still causing concern for fast bowlers, says Patrick Cummins

Melbourne, Dec 23 (IANS) Pacer Patrick Cummins has admitted that the mode of Phillip Hughes' tragic death is still in the back of the minds of Australian pacemen as they continue to bowl bouncers in cricket matches.

Cummins was a former team-mate of the left-hander at New South Wales and Australia, but he was not playing in the ill-fated match against South Australia when Hughes met his tragic fate at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

"I think it definitely does make you think twice. The first couple of weeks initially, certainly I couldn't even fathom bowling a bouncer. Now, once you get into a competitive situation, you kind of try and put that out of your mind," he was quoted as saying by the Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday.

"I think most of the guys are trying to not think about it and trying to take it for the freak accident that it was and go back to cricket. But I think certainly it is in the back of most people's minds."

Australian all-rounder Shane Watson was hit on the helmet by a ball bowled by squad member James Pattinson at a net session here on Tuesday, raising fresh concerns.

"I don't think anyone knows how they would react until they get put in that situation. But it is still quite raw I guess," the 21-year-old.

Cummins is currently out of the Test squad but is in reckoning to be selected for Australia's 2015 World Cup squad, after showing impressive form in the ongoing Big Bash Twenty20 league.