Former Israel captain Hillel Oscar has died after being struck by a cricket ball while umpiring, just two days after the death of Phillip Hughes in Australia.
International umpire Oscar, 58, was reportedly standing at the bowler's end when the ball ricocheted off the stumps and hit him in the neck from a powerfully struck shot back down the pitch.
The match between Young Ashdod and Lions Lod, the last of the Israel national league season, was being played in the southern port city of Ashdod on Saturday.
Oscar's wife Jenny told the YNet website the freak incident occurred shortly after a minute's silence was held for Hughes, who died in Sydney on Thursday from injuries suffered when hit in the neck by a bouncer at the SCG.
"We're simply in shock," Israel Cricket Association chief Naor Gudker told AFP from the hospital in nearby Ashkelon where Oscar was pronounced dead.
"We know a ball was hit in his direction; he tried to escape it; he fell - what happened there is still being investigated," Gudker said.
"The entire Israel Cricket Association and players bow their heads in his memory. He was a wonderful man, cricketer and umpire."
Players attempted to revive Oscar after he fell to the ground and the ambulance crew that arrived soon afterwards worked for an hour at the scene before he was taken to hospital and was subsequently declared dead.
A hospital spokesman said Oscar died of a catastrophic head wound.
Cricket is not a professional sport in Israel but Ashdod is one of its main centres with a large number of Jewish immigrants from India living there.
While umpires in cricket do not wear protective helmets like batsmen, since the likelihood of injury is regarded as extremely low, the death is not entirely unprecedented.
In Wales, five years ago, a 72-year-old umpire died in Swansea after he was hit in the head by a ball thrown by a fielder.
Israeli cricket coach and player Herschel Gutman posted on Facebook: "Today, another cricketing tragedy has taken the life of our very own Hillel Oscar the former Israeli Cricket Captain.
"Hillel was umpiring during the game between Young Ashdod and Super Lions Lod, when a ball that was hit by a batsman struck Hillel below the jaw. All of the Israel cricket family is in deep mourning at his passing.
"Hillel was a very well respected man who played the game in a fantastic spirit. He first represented Israel in 1982 and made his last appearance for Israel in 2006. He captained the team on a number of occasions."
