Dubai: The Australian cricket team on Monday paid tribute to Phil Hughes on his third death anniversary by remembering their former teammate on the final day of the Brisbane Test.
“We will all miss you,” tweeted David Warner, who looked up to the sky after he reached 63 not out, which was Hughes’ score when he was hit in the head while batting in a Sheffield Shield game on this day at Sydney in 2014.
The Australian players had worn black armbands on the final day of the opening Ashes 2017-18 Test against England which they won by 10 wickets. “Big day for @CricketAus to go 1-0 up in the ashes, 3 years on after Phil passed away. Always in our hearts and minds Hughesy,” tweeted Glenn Maxwell.
The memories of Hughes hits everyone who visits the Sydney cricket ground.
When this correspondent visited the Sydney ground to report the 2015 World Cup for Gulf News, I got to see the bronze memorial plaque of Hughes installed at the top of the stairs leading to the team dressing rooms. The plaque features him as a small bust and describes his career with the concluding statement that Hughes faced his last ball on November 25, 2014 playing for South Australia at the SCG. Cricket Australia has declared him ‘63 not out’ forever — his score when he received the fatal blow.
It was two days later (November 27) after he got hit that Hughes died in the hospital as a result of a traumatic basal subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by the blow. Hughes was the 408th player to represent Australia in Test cricket and played 26 Tests in his lifetime.
“3 years have passed and I’m still missing you bro #408,” tweeted Australia skipper Steve Smith while Mitchell Johnson tweeted “Miss you bro 408 always with us”
The famous England fan group Barmy Army paid homage to Hughes, chanting “There’s only one Phillip Hughes” to the tune of ‘Winter Wonderland’ during the opening session of the Test match.
