A helicopter is on its way to remove Hughes from the ground after he was struck in the head. After the blow Hughes stood, looked at his feet and crashed face-first onto the pitch. The NSW players and umpires called for help immediately.

NSW team, doctor John Orchard was on the boundary administering assistance as Hughes lay on a stretcher on the medicab. Medical staff were working on Hughes 15 minutes after the delivery struck him and eventually three ambulances arrived on the ground to administer assistance.

Players and ground staff held up a white sheet to screen him from the spectators who were looking on.

Play was suspended immediately with the umpires later calling an early tea break. Hughes' former opening partner David Warner stood by his friend's side, as did Blues skipper Brad Haddin and some South Australian players.

The South Australian opener was breathing through an oxygen mask.

Hughes was unbeaten on 61 and fighting for a berth in the squad for the first Test next week with the likely exclusion of skipper and No.4 batsman Michael Clarke due to a hamstring injury.

The manner in which the former Test opener collapsed, face-first onto the ground was like watching a boxer who falls from a delayed knockout blow.

At tea, the Redbacks are on 2-136. Mark Cosgrove (32) and Callum Ferguson (5), who was also considered a contender for an international call up, were the two South Australian batsmen dismissed.

Nathan Lyon has 1-31 for NSW, while former Australia bowler Doug Bollinger has 1-32.

The incident with Hughes occurred as NSW batsman Ben Rohrer was ruled out of the game after being concussed by a short delivery against Victoria in the opening round of the Sheffield Shield by Chris Tremain.

Cricket Australia was scrutinising it's concussion rule as a result of Rohrer's injury.