Jason Gillespie has paid tribute to the late Phil Hughes, a player he coached on an Australia A tour of Zimbabwe in 2011.

The Yorkshire coach described it as a “privilege” to work with the 25-year-old, whose passing at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney yesterday has stunned the world of cricket.

Hughes died after being struck on the back of the neck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott whilst playing for South Australia against home state New South Wales at the SCG on Tuesday.

The Australia left-hander scored two hundreds on a tour where Gillespie was a fast bowling coach.

He also scored a blistering 80 not out in a losing cause for Worcestershire against Yorkshire in a Twenty20 quarter-final at Headingley in 2012, although that was before Gillespie had re-joined Yorkshire.

Gillespie said: “I had the privilege of coaching Phil, and you could see back then that he had the ideal temperament and skill set to be a top player in the game.

“Since then, he made it into the national squad and continued to excel as a fine cricketer.

“It’s completely devastating to see the events that have taken place at the SCG. I can’t imagine how everyone is back in Australia.”

Gillespie has also thrown his support behind Abbott, the 22-year-old seamer who was a good friend of Hughes’s.

“Here’s a young lad, Sean Abbott at 22 years of age, he’s a lovely young kid. He was just doing his job, running in and bowling cricket balls. It’s the last thing you would ever expect to happen on a cricket field,” he added.

“He was bowling to one of his good mates. We’re all really feeling for Sean right now and everyone involved in that game on and off the field.”

Former England quick Steve Harmison had nothing but sympathy for Abbott and expressed hope that he can go on and resume his burgeoning career.

"I don't think anybody can even contemplate what is going through Sean Abbott's mind at this moment in time," he said. "I don't even think anybody can come close to it.

"It's such a sad thing. Sean Abbott, (a) 22-year-old starting his career, at that age playing state cricket means he's a good player, an up-and-coming prospect.

"He's playing the game that he loves and wants to represent Australia and for this to happen to him at such a young age...

"I hope he gets close to fulfilling the potential he's got because nobody can even contemplate what's going through that boy's mind at this moment in time."

He added: "To even think a former fast bowler, myself, and other fast bowlers can even think what's going through his mind. It wouldn't even come close to it."