LIFE is fragile whichever way you look at it but when there is an untimely death in sport it affects so many of us who watch, play or write about it.

The passing of young Australian cricketer Phil Hughes this week was one such moment that rocked the sporting world.

A Test batsman who I have watched play for the Aussies against England in recent years, Hughes would have been 26 on Sunday but sadly he will not be around for his birthday.

Hit by a bouncer in an Australian domestic match in Sydney three days ago, Hughes was critically injured and never regained consciousness before the terrible news he had died reached us yesterday.

His heartbroken family said he died playing the sport he loved but that will be of little comfort as they mourn a young man’s death.

Often in such cases there will be an inquiry into how someone playing sport suffered such a devastating injury.

But in this instance even the doctors treating him in the immediate aftermath of being struck by a Sean Abbott delivery admitted it was a freak injury after the ball hit the top of his neck and led to brain problems.

Like many sports, cricket in the modern age has done everything to ensure the safety of competitors and Hughes was wearing the correct helmet to protect his head.

It just seems this was a tragic case of misfortune.

There are more dangerous sports than cricket, despite the pace and power batsmen face from fast bowlers with a ball that can do physical damage.

Formula One sees drivers on the edge at high speed, while boxing is naturally risky.

In general, sport’s governing bodies have done lots to try to make their discipline as safe as can be.

But the human body is a complex thing and even taking every precaution can sometimes not be enough.

You just have to look close to home and what happened to former Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba on that pitch at Tottenham back in March 2012.

Nothing could have prepared anyone at Wanderers or Spurs for what happened that day when Muamba collapsed and, thankfully, quick attention and his own fighting spirit saw him come through to make a recovery when everyone feared the worst.

In boxing, Michael Watson was seriously hurt after a fight with Chris Eubank in 1991. He knew the risks and had been fine in so many fights but on that fateful night he would suffer injuries that would have a lasting affect.

As sad as it is, sometimes fate just deals a horrible hand in sport as it does in life.

It is no-one’s fault, just severe misfortune.

I only hope Abbott, who bowled that ball at Hughes, gets all the support he needs to realise that.