Huge outpouring of tributes for untimely death of Australia’s Phillip Hughes
World cricket community unites in their grief with stars from other sports over loss of batsman, while putoutyourbat campaign spread on Twitter
Flags flew at half mast and thousands of fans and players paid tribute on Friday as Australia and the world cricket community united in an outpouring of grief for the tragic death of batsman Phillip Hughes.
Cricketers the world over paused to remember the player, and a spontaneous "hashtag putyourbatsout" campaign received a massive response with thousands posting pictures of bats on Twitter.
Australia’s stunned test team comforted each other in a grief counselling session at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Hughes was knocked unconscious, while batting in a domestic game on Tuesday.
Six or seven days is not a long time, but right now with where we all are, it seems like a million miles away
The 25-year-old died two days later on Thursday from massive bleeding in his brain, becoming one of the highest profile deaths in sport since Formula One icon Ayrton Senna in 1994.
Shock at the freak accident pulsed around the globe as Hughes featured on front pages worldwide and flags were at half-mast at Lord’s, the home of cricket in London.
New South Wales authorities announced a public memorial service for Hughes, while next week’s first test against India hung in the balance.
Four players in Australia’s test squad – David Warner, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson and Nathan Lyon – were on the field when he collapsed after being hit by a Sean Abbott delivery.