Karunaratne 'in good spirits' after nasty blow to neck

Canberra, February 2: Sri Lanka head coach Chandika Hathurusingha provided a positive update on opener Dimuth Karunaratne, after he was taken to hospital having been struck on the neck by a Pat Cummins bouncer in the second Test with Australia.

In worrying scenes at Manuka Oval, Karunaratne was hit by a 142kph delivery from Cummins and received prolonged medical treatment before being taken off on a stretcher and sent to hospital to be assessed.

A subsequent tweet from Cricket Australia revealed Karunaratne had "complained of pain in [his] neck and tingling to his hands", but Hathurusingha was upbeat over the 30-year-old's condition.

"He's in the hospital at the moment and in good spirits," said Hathurusingha. "No danger at the moment. He was talking to us before he was leaving as well.

"It was a bit scary at the start the way he falls back initially but he was OK.

"Throughout he was talking to the umpires and the physio. [He was] hit on the back of the neck so he's being assessed at the moment."

Karunaratne was 46 not out when he was struck by Cummins, who was joined by team-mate Kurtis Patterson in wishing the Sri Lanka batsman a speedy recovery.

"Obviously it's never a nice feeling seeing someone go down like that," Cummins told Fox Cricket.

"The good thing was it looked like he was moving his hands and the physio said he seemed alright when he left. I wish him all the best and hopefully he's doing alright."

Patterson, a centurion for Australia on day two, added: "I'm hoping he's OK. Hoping he can come out and bat again tomorrow [Sunday]. All of us were in a bit of shock but I think everyone is OK, which is good."

Sri Lanka will resume on 123 for three in reply to their hosts' mammoth total of 534 for five declared.