Character education: Sean Abbott – a lesson in resilience

The following blog is adapted from the Headmaster’s assembly at the Senior School on Wednesday 7th January.

Resilience, noun, the ability to respond constructively to the challenges and adversities that we face; toughness

Six weeks ago, few of us had heard of an Australian cricketer called Sean Abbott.  He is young – only 22, an all-rounder.  He had just made his international debuts in Australia’s one day and T20 sides against Pakistan in the UAE in October.  He was born and grew up in New South Wales for whom he made his first class cricket debut in 2011 when he was just 19.

On 25th November, last year, Sean Abbott was bowling for New South Wales to Philip Hughes of South Australia during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground or SCG.

Philip Hughes was struck on the top of his neck by a delivery from Abbott.  Hughes collapsed to the ground and, two days later, died having never regained consciousness.  A freak accident that caused a fatal haemorrhage despite Hughes batting in a helmet.

The previous season, Abbott and Hughes had been team mates in the New South Wales side before Hughes moved to South Australia to play this season.

Sport and its commentators are often guilty of exaggeration.  This, however, was a genuine tragedy.

A tragedy first and foremost for Philip Hughes’s family – his parents, his brother and his sister.

A tragedy that a young man aged just 25 died doing what he loved – playing cricket.  Hughes had already played in 26 tests for Australia scoring over 1,500 runs and three centuries.

A tragedy that a hugely talented young sportsman on the verge of a return to his national team will never have the opportunity to develop further his potential as a cricketer and as a person.  Most commentators suggest Hughes still had his best cricketing years ahead of him and was due a return to the national side.

A tragedy for his team-mates, fellow cricketers and friends.  When he was taken from the pitch at the SCG, he was flanked by some of his opponents on that day – Brad Haddin, David Warner and Shane Watson – who had also been his team-mates for the Australian national team and at New South Wales for whom he had played previously.

The Australian captain, Michael Clarke – alongside Hughes’s brother and sister – delivered a very moving tribute at Hughes’ funeral.  His words drew analogies with the game of cricket.  “We must dig in and get through to tea. And we must play on,” Clarke said emotionally.

But the accident was also a tragedy for Sean Abbott who bowled the delivery that killed his friend and former team-mate.

In the days following Hughes’ fatal injury, there was speculation – including amongst the game’s professionals – as to whether Abbott would be able to play and bowl again successfully – if at all.

Unsurprisingly, Abbott has been receiving professional counselling following the incident.  He attended Hughes’s funeral where he was consoled by Hughes’s family and other cricketers who urged him to continue playing.  Messages of support both private and public in the media continued in the days that followed Hughes’s funeral.

With such support, Abbott was able to return to playing cricket on 9th December poignantly back at the SCG for New South Wales against Queensland. Abbott was applauded by spectators when he was brought on to bowl in the 13th over.

He sent down a bouncer with his fifth ball and ended the day with two wickets for 53 runs.

In Queensland’s second innings, Abbott recorded his best ever bowling performance taking six wickets for just 14 runs as New South Wales beat Queensland.

Abbott, who has played three one day internationals and one T20 for Australia, was on a hat-trick at one point and finished with 8 for 67 in the match.  He received a standing ovation as he left the pitch.  “To do what he did really showed the character that he has,” said the New South Wales coach, Trevor Bayliss.

We are fortunate that there will be relatively few occasions where we are faced with tragedies such as this one that befell Philip Hughes, his family and fellow cricketers and the bowler, Sean Abbott.

We can only imagine it would have been very easy for Sean Abbott to have been overcome by grief and pity and to walk away from the game of cricket.  We can only imagine the emotional and mental toughness it must have taken for Abbott to walk out again and bowl at the SCG.

At this time, only he knows from where he drew his strength to carry on playing.  His support from the Hughes family?  From Cricket Australia?  From his fellow professionals?  From the public?  Or possibly a combination of all of these?

Sean Abbott’s response to tragedy is a lesson in resilience – the capacity to recover quickly from terrible adversity embodied in the words of Michael Clarke.  There will be times when we all “must dig in and get through to tea.  And we must play on.”