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27th November 2014: One of the saddest days in cricket as Phillip Hughes passes away

so sad :(. today and tomorrow I have a day off school for Queen's holiday and Inset day so I went to sleep around midnight and then woke up at like 6 am and saw on a whatsapp group chat he had died as my uncle is currently in Sydney and he posted that he died and then I went on cricinfo and saw the confirmation he died. I was probably one of the first people in England to know as everyone else would probably have been sleeping and I couldn't go back to sleep as I was on my phone for two hours reading the tributes. Today, the game unites
 
On the verge of being selected to the national team and then gets hit and dies. Just go on to show how much we take life for granted. Maybe because we have no idea what life is for ...

RIP Phil.

My condolences to his family and all of the Aussie posters on this forum.
 
Condolences to all his close ones.

Just goes to show how death can come at any second. There should be a lesson in this for us.
 
RIP Phil Hughes. It is really sad day for cricket. My condolences to his family and friends. I can't even imagine what they would be going through now.
 
RIP.

My sincere condolences to Phillip Hughes's friends and family.

Tragedy !
 
Brings everything into perspective. Tragic, huge loss.

Thoughts go out to his family, also cricketing world and the bowler who delivered the bouncer, he must be feeling horrible.

RIP. So young.
 
Very very sad day for the cricketing community, phil hughes's family and friends.
No one deserves to die while playing a sport.
R.I.P Champ :(
 
Terribly tragic news Im still in shock RIP philip Not only australia but the whole cricketing world is in mourning
 
Horrible news.
Condolences to his family and friends.
 
Saw this tribute image on Twitter with the caption: Phil Hughes 63 not out joins the crease with a new batting partner.
This is so beautiful. It brought tears to my eyes.

IMG_20141127_183617.jpg
 
His family should be proud that he's getting all this love. And he deserves it.
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>At the end of First Class match between NBP and UBL at Islamabad, the players paid homage to Phillip Hughes. <a href="http://t.co/B3usva7fLl">pic.twitter.com/B3usva7fLl</a></p>— Mazher Arshad (@cricket_U) <a href="https://twitter.com/cricket_U/status/537966240103288832">November 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
RIP!
Such a terrible loss! My deepest condolences to Phillip's family and friends.

I loved his batting and wanted him to play every test match for Australia.
 
I've being trying to write this post for hours but just haven't managed to start

I'm not even sure how this will come out. It's going to be all over the place I suspect.

I never knew the bloke but in I held him in a very unique regard.

Phillip was the first and only cricketer that I'd truly claim as mine even though I never met him. It just so happened that the timing of his emergence and the timing of where Australia was at and where I was at that led to this.

Some people here have accused me of being particularly harsh with Khawaja or other Australian cricket players. I don't think so. I've only looked harshed because in comparison I've always been rather soft on Hughes and excused away his failures and kept the faith in him where I haven't in other. I'd always say otherwise if someone suggested it but it was true and I even knew at the time that for some reason I had a special standard for Hughes that was different to how I judged others.
Nowdays I judge players as the person I am - an adult cricket fan with a pretty critical and cynical eye. I'll only judge a player if I have seen them and will often judge regardless of performance but based on technique and how I think a player would perform. I'm right far more often than not but I love the game of cricket as a man and not as a child.

Sometimes there are moments in the game which briefly restore the childish hope and exhilaration you get- Agar's 98 and Harris's magical, one legged spell to win the series in South Africa are two recent events for me. But for some reason, for Hughes and Hughes alone I have consistently held onto the same childish love and hope that I had for him seven years ago when he first started emerging and I was still a teenager. I go out of my to watch or at minimum follow, legally or otherwise, every innings he plays everywhere. Always with the belief that his chance would come again. That he would become the great test player I knew he would become.

Cricket is a game of history and traditions- even more so Australia and England which in many ways explains the disdain towards the non test forms of the game over here. It's about the continuing legacy. Cricket in Australia is a cultural past time brought about by getting taken to a test as a young boy by your old man, by your older brother, by your uncle, by grandfather. Australia first played test cricket decades before Australia existed as a nation- in a time where Australia was 6 or 7 colonies (including New Zealand which opted out of federation). The concept of Australia and the difference between being Australian and being British was pretty fluid during the early days of national cricket. The coat of arms on the Baggy Green is different to the Australian national coat of arms because there was no Australian coat of arms at the time. The Australian cricket team doesn't wear green and gold because they're our national sporting colours. Our national sporting colours are green and gold because the Australian cricket team's colours were green and gold.
Even in the 19th century test matches were played at the MCG, the SCG and at the Adelaide Oval.

Back in 2007 I was still a teenage boy with a still pretty childish view of the game. For me, all I had experienced of Australia's cricket legacy was success after success. Every world cup I was old enough to properly follow- we won. We beat everyone everywhere. We thrashed a combined world XI. We went through two world cups undefeated- despite Shane Warne getting suspended just before the 2003 cup.
England managed to win back the Ashes by 2 runs. We came back and beat them 5-0. Warne misses some tests- MacGill would come in and dominate. McGrath misses a series? Stuart Clark comes in and destroys South Africa. Langer misses a test- Mike Hussey comes in.
Great opposition performance against us were to be applauded - I knew we'd win anyway because we were Australia.
Gillespie was done after 2005. McGrath, Warne and Langer retired in 2006/07. It was obvious that Gilchrist, Hayden, MacGill etc were going to follow shortly.
At the time I didn't appreciate what a freak team it was and I assumed that we'd find another few all time greats to replace them and to continue the 140 year legacy of Australian cricket.
At the same time in 2007 stories started to circulate about a new, young batting talent. Phillip Hughes. A young country lad just like so many other Australian cricket icons- Warren Bardsley, Don Bradman, Bill O'Reilly, Doug Walters, Glenn McGrath. The stories started to circulate about just how he good as he approached the start of his career.
We hear similar stories about Pat Cummins. About Josh Hazlewood. About Nic Maddinson. Eastern staters heard the same stories about Mitch Marsh. I still recall the stories about Mitchell Johnson. Right now the same stories are revolving about young Jake Doran.
They all hit reality when they ran into sheffield shield. Still showed talent. Still showed they could make the step up but through either inconsistency with success and more often failures typical of young talent or just pure inability to get on the field through injury they hit reality for a while.
Almost all players reach that level as you transition from talented junior to professional. On some occasions you get that one special talent that comes through and makes the step with no issues.
And that was Phillip Hughes.
He played a tour match early in 2007 against a Sri Lankan team with Murali. Scored a 50. Scored a century in a NSW 2nd XI match and shortly after at 18 made his sheffield shield debut.
Scored a 50 in his first innings at shield level. As an opener. Youngest player to represent NSW since Michael Clarke.
Scored a 50 in his first innings in the Australian One Day comp. As an opener.
Became the youngest man to score a century in a shield final at 18. As an opener.
The next season there was no second year blues and he continued piling on the runs as Hayden struggled and South Africa beat us over here with great bowling from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

We had a return series in South Africa within months. Three tests. Hayden had retired and Phillip Hughes came into the team. To open in South Africa at age 20.
First innings was nothing special. Second innings was good 50.
Next test, in Durban he became the youngest player to score two centuries in a test match. In South Africa. Against Dale Steyn.

Phillip Hughes alone lived up to the hype straight away and I put all my childish hopes of the continuing Australian reign on him.

That's what Phillip Hughes meant to me. I never met the bloke and unfortunately we'll never meet.
He'll never become the great player I always thought he was destined to be.
But that is what he was to me. The last vestige of my boyhood love of cricket.
 
Convict said:
Next test, in Durban he became the youngest player to score two centuries in a test match. In South Africa. Against Dale Steyn.
Click to expand...
Always held him in high regard for that, it took something special from someone special. He and Johnson were the main factors in you guys winning that series.
 
Posting vids and clips of Hughes, makes the emotions start up again.

Still cannot believe it.
 
Shocking news. Condolences to his family and friends.
 
Terrible news to wake up to.

Hopefully his family and friends will find some comfort in all the tributes.
 
Incredibly sad day for cricket.
I read this story (from afar) a couple of days ago, I diD no think the injury was that serious (from a fatal perspective anyway).
I log to cricinfo a few moments ago to this tragic news.
Condolences to his family and the Australian cricket fraternity.
RIP Hughes
 

Four Australian test players scored multiple test centuries before turning 21
Don Bradman
Neil Harvey
Doug Walters
Phillip Hughes

Just this morning on four current Australian players had over 20 first class centuries - Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke, David Hussey and Phillip Hughes. Three are in their mid 30s. Phillip was 25.

Phillip Hughes is the youngest to score two test centuries in a test match.
Phillip Hughes is the only Australian to score a century on his ODI debut.
Phillip Hughes was the first Australian to score a double century in List A cricket.
Phillip Hughes scored all three of his professional double centuries in the last 12 months. His last first class century was a score of 243* against South Africa A. His last list A century was a score of 202* against South Africa A.

Phillip Hughes was 24 the last time he played for the Australian test team.
Michael Clarke was the same age when he was dropped from the Australian team.
Ricky Ponting was about the same age when he was dropped.
Steve Waugh hadn't even scored a test century after a similar number of test to Hughes.
Damien Martyn, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer only made their test comebacks in their late 20s.
Mike Hussey was in his 30s when he made his test debut.
Adam Gilchrist was in his late 20s.
Chris Rogers and Simon Katich in their 30s when they got and grasped their second chance at test level.
David Warner was 25 when he made his test debut.
Phillip Hughes was 25 when he died.

A batsman's peak is in his late 20s and early 30s. Phillip Hughes never reached that peak. He had a better or comparable shield record to all the above bar Ponting.

At the start of this season there was only one Shield player with a shield batting average over 50. It wasn't Clarke. It wasn't Warner. It wasn't Smith. It wasn't Rogers or David Hussey. It was Phillip Hughes.

Phillip Hughes was dropped again and again from the test team and each time told by the selectors to work on something new. He always put his head down and worked on what he was asked to do.
The first time he got dropped he went all the way to ask Sachin Tendulkar for advice.
The second time he got dropped he gave up a six figure contract to play BBL so he could play club cricket in Sydney and work on his technique.
The last time he got dropped was a test after he scored 81* in a record partnership with Ashton Agar.
Ed Cowan got 18 tests in a row from the selectors. He had a worse test record than Hughes.
Doolan, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell. They all have worse test record than Phillip Hughes.

But the selectors held Hughes to a higher standard because they knew he was a higher talent. He'd fix his technique up bit by bit and make his comeback later- just like Langer, just like Hayden, just like Martyn.
He was 25. We all thought he'd have the time to work on his technique and make it to the next level and finally become the great player he was always going to become.
He would have got that chance against India this summer.

He was improving. Three double centuries in his professional career- all in the last 12 months.

When he first came along, when he scored those twin centuries against South Africa, he never played the pull shot. He grew up playing cricket everyday in his backyard and couldn't hit the ball down legside because it would damage his mothers garden. So he learnt to back away and turn the pullshot into an offside shot.
Flintoff sorted this out and among one of the things Hughes had to prove to selectors to get selected again was that he could play the pull shot.

Phillip Hughes was more than the great unfulfilled cricket talent.
He was the man who dreamed of buying and running a farm with his father when he retired from cricket.

Vale Hughesy.
He died playing the pull shot.
 
Convict said:
I've being trying to write this post for hours but just haven't managed to start

I'm not even sure how this will come out. It's going to be all over the place I suspect.

I never knew the bloke but in I held him in a very unique regard.

Phillip was the first and only cricketer that I'd truly claim as mine even though I never met him. It just so happened that the timing of his emergence and the timing of where Australia was at and where I was at that led to this.

Some people here have accused me of being particularly harsh with Khawaja or other Australian cricket players. I don't think so. I've only looked harshed because in comparison I've always been rather soft on Hughes and excused away his failures and kept the faith in him where I haven't in other. I'd always say otherwise if someone suggested it but it was true and I even knew at the time that for some reason I had a special standard for Hughes that was different to how I judged others.
Nowdays I judge players as the person I am - an adult cricket fan with a pretty critical and cynical eye. I'll only judge a player if I have seen them and will often judge regardless of performance but based on technique and how I think a player would perform. I'm right far more often than not but I love the game of cricket as a man and not as a child.

Sometimes there are moments in the game which briefly restore the childish hope and exhilaration you get- Agar's 98 and Harris's magical, one legged spell to win the series in South Africa are two recent events for me. But for some reason, for Hughes and Hughes alone I have consistently held onto the same childish love and hope that I had for him seven years ago when he first started emerging and I was still a teenager. I go out of my to watch or at minimum follow, legally or otherwise, every innings he plays everywhere. Always with the belief that his chance would come again. That he would become the great test player I knew he would become.

Cricket is a game of history and traditions- even more so Australia and England which in many ways explains the disdain towards the non test forms of the game over here. It's about the continuing legacy. Cricket in Australia is a cultural past time brought about by getting taken to a test as a young boy by your old man, by your older brother, by your uncle, by grandfather. Australia first played test cricket decades before Australia existed as a nation- in a time where Australia was 6 or 7 colonies (including New Zealand which opted out of federation). The concept of Australia and the difference between being Australian and being British was pretty fluid during the early days of national cricket. The coat of arms on the Baggy Green is different to the Australian national coat of arms because there was no Australian coat of arms at the time. The Australian cricket team doesn't wear green and gold because they're our national sporting colours. Our national sporting colours are green and gold because the Australian cricket team's colours were green and gold.
Even in the 19th century test matches were played at the MCG, the SCG and at the Adelaide Oval.

Back in 2007 I was still a teenage boy with a still pretty childish view of the game. For me, all I had experienced of Australia's cricket legacy was success after success. Every world cup I was old enough to properly follow- we won. We beat everyone everywhere. We thrashed a combined world XI. We went through two world cups undefeated- despite Shane Warne getting suspended just before the 2003 cup.
England managed to win back the Ashes by 2 runs. We came back and beat them 5-0. Warne misses some tests- MacGill would come in and dominate. McGrath misses a series? Stuart Clark comes in and destroys South Africa. Langer misses a test- Mike Hussey comes in.
Great opposition performance against us were to be applauded - I knew we'd win anyway because we were Australia.
Gillespie was done after 2005. McGrath, Warne and Langer retired in 2006/07. It was obvious that Gilchrist, Hayden, MacGill etc were going to follow shortly.
At the time I didn't appreciate what a freak team it was and I assumed that we'd find another few all time greats to replace them and to continue the 140 year legacy of Australian cricket.
At the same time in 2007 stories started to circulate about a new, young batting talent. Phillip Hughes. A young country lad just like so many other Australian cricket icons- Warren Bardsley, Don Bradman, Bill O'Reilly, Doug Walters, Glenn McGrath. The stories started to circulate about just how he good as he approached the start of his career.
We hear similar stories about Pat Cummins. About Josh Hazlewood. About Nic Maddinson. Eastern staters heard the same stories about Mitch Marsh. I still recall the stories about Mitchell Johnson. Right now the same stories are revolving about young Jake Doran.
They all hit reality when they ran into sheffield shield. Still showed talent. Still showed they could make the step up but through either inconsistency with success and more often failures typical of young talent or just pure inability to get on the field through injury they hit reality for a while.
Almost all players reach that level as you transition from talented junior to professional. On some occasions you get that one special talent that comes through and makes the step with no issues.
And that was Phillip Hughes.
He played a tour match early in 2007 against a Sri Lankan team with Murali. Scored a 50. Scored a century in a NSW 2nd XI match and shortly after at 18 made his sheffield shield debut.
Scored a 50 in his first innings at shield level. As an opener. Youngest player to represent NSW since Michael Clarke.
Scored a 50 in his first innings in the Australian One Day comp. As an opener.
Became the youngest man to score a century in a shield final at 18. As an opener.
The next season there was no second year blues and he continued piling on the runs as Hayden struggled and South Africa beat us over here with great bowling from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

We had a return series in South Africa within months. Three tests. Hayden had retired and Phillip Hughes came into the team. To open in South Africa at age 20.
First innings was nothing special. Second innings was good 50.
Next test, in Durban he became the youngest player to score two centuries in a test match. In South Africa. Against Dale Steyn.

Phillip Hughes alone lived up to the hype straight away and I put all my childish hopes of the continuing Australian reign on him.

That's what Phillip Hughes meant to me. I never met the bloke and unfortunately we'll never meet.
He'll never become the great player I always thought he was destined to be.
But that is what he was to me. The last vestige of my boyhood love of cricket.
Click to expand...

POTW for me. Fantastically written and very well said.

The one positive to come out of all this for me has been the extraordinary response from the cricketing community. Players,coaches,umpires,cricket boards and fans alike from all corners of the globe have united in respect for his passing and its very touching and heartening to see.

Whether it be India or Papua New Guinea, we're all part of the cricketing family and to see everyone come together in respect for Hughes is quite special. In no other sport is there such a tight relationship between its followers IMO, partly due to how few nations actually play.

Thats one thing we can all look on as a positive IMO, one small thing to be happy about, in the midst of all this tragedy
 
OMG I'm totally Speechless. RIP.

Never thought I'll see this day in today's era of cricket.
 
I remember my first thought when I heard he retired hurt

It was "bugger. Guess he won't play the test or world cup. Oh well, there's always next year and future world cups"

And there won't be.

Still can't really comprehend the fact that he's dead.
 
Tragic. This news has been very upsetting .. Condolences to Phil's family & all Aussie fans esp random Aussie , ozgod , convict & others on this forum. We as a cricketing family are also feeling your pain.
 
This is a post from another forum

Phil was a top shelf bloke. It'd be a little disrespectful to say we were friends as I'm not sure that's the best word to describe it. I didn't know him that well. I've had beers with him (which he bought, because Phil was just that sort of a bloke) and a few really friendly chats. He was the housemate of two blokes at my cricket club - Tom and Ben Cooper. Understandably they're in shock, as is our whole club and the whole of South Australian cricket. Every time I saw Phil, he was happy and smiling. Every time I heard him, he was entertaining and engaging. Every time I was near him, I left feeling better for it. He had no arrogance or entitlement, he was just happy to be in a position where he could do what he loves. On Sunday I noticed Phil sitting on the banks watching a cricket game I was batting in from the crease and instantly every thought of mine became about not making a fool of myself in front of Phil (I did end up doing so, for the record) but really, it just made my day that Phil would come out and watch an amateur cricket game on a Sunday involving a club he wasn't a part of. He just loved cricket. So many mates of mine are wrecks at the moment; they knew Phil better than I did. Nobody could speak a bad world of him.

I apologise for the long winded post, but I just wanted to share my very limited glimpse into Phil as a person. He was as good as they come - this isn't fair at all. His death has left me an absolute wreck, just so close to home. Having seen him only a few days ago makes it all tougher. He was truly one of the best.

Rest easy Phil.
Click to expand...
 
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Players from UBL & NBP paying tribute to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PhilHughes?src=hash">#PhilHughes</a> in Islamabad. (pics via <a href="https://twitter.com/SamaraAfzal">@SamaraAfzal</a> & <a href="https://twitter.com/KamiAkmal23">@KamiAkmal23</a>) <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RIPHughesy?src=hash">#RIPHughesy</a> <a href="http://t.co/QUCvQ0vUHD">pic.twitter.com/QUCvQ0vUHD</a></p>— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) <a href="https://twitter.com/faizanlakhani/status/537989028428410880">November 27, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
 
This is his unbeaten double century vs South Africa A. Check out his amazing hand speed, foot work and distinct style of batting. He sure would have gone on to impress many of us at International level.

 
aamir said:
Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un (To Allah we belong and to Him shall we return).

Really heart-breaking that this should happen to a young man, in the prime of his life, just playing a game.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his family, so that they may endure this tragic loss.

RIP Phillip Joel Hughes.
Click to expand...

+1. I never thought he will not recover.
 
Rest in peace Phillip. Has to be the worst cricketing news I've ever heard. Truly devestating.
 
Shocked and very hurt after listening to this news. That guy was so young and had good bit of cricket left for Australia.
 
Very shocking and sad news. What makes this even more upsetting was that he died young. I guess that's life and that nothing can be taken for granted. Rest in Peace mate and all our prayers are with his mother and family.
 
One of the most talented Australian batsman I have ever seen. If he had continued playing, I would guarantee you that he would have been an ATG. What a prestigious talent this guy was, scoring 202 in a list A game for Aus A. R.I.P. bro, all prayers with you, your family and Sean Abbot.
 
Condolences Thread: Phillip Hughes Passes Away

Just the mere thought that Phil Hughes is no more, not amongst us anymore..... makes me get a strange feeling in my stomach. Feels as if cricket will never be the same for me.

Like many of you, I too thought of putting up his picture on my avatar, but couldn´t, couldn´t because I want to run away from these threads, posts, news or anything related to the incident. I know myself well to conclude that the more I think about it the more time it will take for me to get out of this. Not only me, this has affected my whole family.

And I do not wish to prove myself to be a soothsayer at his departed soul´s expense, and I wouldn´t say that I know that the unfortunate incident will eventual take his life, but there was a feeling.... I had this feeling throughout the days that something isn´t right about Hughes´ condition. More than a feeling of hope, I had fear in my heart.

Someone please just give me a reason to cry. I cannot fake it anymore at home that I am unaffected. I am strong, but not as strong as the situation demands me to be.
 
Last edited:
I am in utter shock.Its very unfortunate to hear such a tragic and devastating incident.

May his soul Rest in Peace and may Allah give his family Strength.

Also feel for Abbott.He is young too and would be difficult for him to come out of this hard time.

Friend786 said:
Click to expand...

This literally made me cry.
 
DHONI183 said:
Just the mere thought that Phil Hughes is no more, not amongst us anymore..... makes me get a strange feeling in my stomach. Feels as if cricket will never be the same for me.

Like many of you, I too thought of putting up his picture on my avatar, but couldn´t, couldn´t because I want to run away from these threads, posts, news or anything related to the incident. I know myself well to conclude that the more I think about it the more time it will take for me to get out of this. Not only me, this has affected my whole family.

And I do not wish to prove myself to be a soothsayer at his departed soul´s expense, and I wouldn´t say that I know that the unfortunate incident will eventual take his life, but there was a feeling.... I had this feeling throughout the days that something isn´t right about Hughes´ condition. More than a feeling of hope, I had fear in my heart.

Someone please just give me a reason to cry. I cannot fake it anymore at home that I am unaffected. I am strong, but not as strong as the situation demands me to be.
Click to expand...

Watch some of the videos mate.
 
Convict said:
I've being trying to write this post for hours but just haven't managed to start

I'm not even sure how this will come out. It's going to be all over the place I suspect.

I never knew the bloke but in I held him in a very unique regard.

Phillip was the first and only cricketer that I'd truly claim as mine even though I never met him. It just so happened that the timing of his emergence and the timing of where Australia was at and where I was at that led to this.

Some people here have accused me of being particularly harsh with Khawaja or other Australian cricket players. I don't think so. I've only looked harshed because in comparison I've always been rather soft on Hughes and excused away his failures and kept the faith in him where I haven't in other. I'd always say otherwise if someone suggested it but it was true and I even knew at the time that for some reason I had a special standard for Hughes that was different to how I judged others.
Nowdays I judge players as the person I am - an adult cricket fan with a pretty critical and cynical eye. I'll only judge a player if I have seen them and will often judge regardless of performance but based on technique and how I think a player would perform. I'm right far more often than not but I love the game of cricket as a man and not as a child.

Sometimes there are moments in the game which briefly restore the childish hope and exhilaration you get- Agar's 98 and Harris's magical, one legged spell to win the series in South Africa are two recent events for me. But for some reason, for Hughes and Hughes alone I have consistently held onto the same childish love and hope that I had for him seven years ago when he first started emerging and I was still a teenager. I go out of my to watch or at minimum follow, legally or otherwise, every innings he plays everywhere. Always with the belief that his chance would come again. That he would become the great test player I knew he would become.

Cricket is a game of history and traditions- even more so Australia and England which in many ways explains the disdain towards the non test forms of the game over here. It's about the continuing legacy. Cricket in Australia is a cultural past time brought about by getting taken to a test as a young boy by your old man, by your older brother, by your uncle, by grandfather. Australia first played test cricket decades before Australia existed as a nation- in a time where Australia was 6 or 7 colonies (including New Zealand which opted out of federation). The concept of Australia and the difference between being Australian and being British was pretty fluid during the early days of national cricket. The coat of arms on the Baggy Green is different to the Australian national coat of arms because there was no Australian coat of arms at the time. The Australian cricket team doesn't wear green and gold because they're our national sporting colours. Our national sporting colours are green and gold because the Australian cricket team's colours were green and gold.
Even in the 19th century test matches were played at the MCG, the SCG and at the Adelaide Oval.

Back in 2007 I was still a teenage boy with a still pretty childish view of the game. For me, all I had experienced of Australia's cricket legacy was success after success. Every world cup I was old enough to properly follow- we won. We beat everyone everywhere. We thrashed a combined world XI. We went through two world cups undefeated- despite Shane Warne getting suspended just before the 2003 cup.
England managed to win back the Ashes by 2 runs. We came back and beat them 5-0. Warne misses some tests- MacGill would come in and dominate. McGrath misses a series? Stuart Clark comes in and destroys South Africa. Langer misses a test- Mike Hussey comes in.
Great opposition performance against us were to be applauded - I knew we'd win anyway because we were Australia.
Gillespie was done after 2005. McGrath, Warne and Langer retired in 2006/07. It was obvious that Gilchrist, Hayden, MacGill etc were going to follow shortly.
At the time I didn't appreciate what a freak team it was and I assumed that we'd find another few all time greats to replace them and to continue the 140 year legacy of Australian cricket.
At the same time in 2007 stories started to circulate about a new, young batting talent. Phillip Hughes. A young country lad just like so many other Australian cricket icons- Warren Bardsley, Don Bradman, Bill O'Reilly, Doug Walters, Glenn McGrath. The stories started to circulate about just how he good as he approached the start of his career.
We hear similar stories about Pat Cummins. About Josh Hazlewood. About Nic Maddinson. Eastern staters heard the same stories about Mitch Marsh. I still recall the stories about Mitchell Johnson. Right now the same stories are revolving about young Jake Doran.
They all hit reality when they ran into sheffield shield. Still showed talent. Still showed they could make the step up but through either inconsistency with success and more often failures typical of young talent or just pure inability to get on the field through injury they hit reality for a while.
Almost all players reach that level as you transition from talented junior to professional. On some occasions you get that one special talent that comes through and makes the step with no issues.
And that was Phillip Hughes.
He played a tour match early in 2007 against a Sri Lankan team with Murali. Scored a 50. Scored a century in a NSW 2nd XI match and shortly after at 18 made his sheffield shield debut.
Scored a 50 in his first innings at shield level. As an opener. Youngest player to represent NSW since Michael Clarke.
Scored a 50 in his first innings in the Australian One Day comp. As an opener.
Became the youngest man to score a century in a shield final at 18. As an opener.
The next season there was no second year blues and he continued piling on the runs as Hayden struggled and South Africa beat us over here with great bowling from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel.

We had a return series in South Africa within months. Three tests. Hayden had retired and Phillip Hughes came into the team. To open in South Africa at age 20.
First innings was nothing special. Second innings was good 50.
Next test, in Durban he became the youngest player to score two centuries in a test match. In South Africa. Against Dale Steyn.

Phillip Hughes alone lived up to the hype straight away and I put all my childish hopes of the continuing Australian reign on him.

That's what Phillip Hughes meant to me. I never met the bloke and unfortunately we'll never meet.
He'll never become the great player I always thought he was destined to be.
But that is what he was to me. The last vestige of my boyhood love of cricket.
Click to expand...

Respect mate.
 
I couldnt believe the loss of Philip's life, thought he might recover. However, he wasnt that lucky. My prayer and thoughts go out for the family of Philip. May his soul rest in peace.

Immediate upgradation in cricketing gear need to implement for safety. We cannot afford to lose more players to lethal bouncer.
 
Convict said:

Four Australian test players scored multiple test centuries before turning 21
Don Bradman
Neil Harvey
Doug Walters
Phillip Hughes

Just this morning on four current Australian players had over 20 first class centuries - Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke, David Hussey and Phillip Hughes. Three are in their mid 30s. Phillip was 25.

Phillip Hughes is the youngest to score two test centuries in a test match.
Phillip Hughes is the only Australian to score a century on his ODI debut.
Phillip Hughes was the first Australian to score a double century in List A cricket.
Phillip Hughes scored all three of his professional double centuries in the last 12 months. His last first class century was a score of 243* against South Africa A. His last list A century was a score of 202* against South Africa A.

Phillip Hughes was 24 the last time he played for the Australian test team.
Michael Clarke was the same age when he was dropped from the Australian team.
Ricky Ponting was about the same age when he was dropped.
Steve Waugh hadn't even scored a test century after a similar number of test to Hughes.
Damien Martyn, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer only made their test comebacks in their late 20s.
Mike Hussey was in his 30s when he made his test debut.
Adam Gilchrist was in his late 20s.
Chris Rogers and Simon Katich in their 30s when they got and grasped their second chance at test level.
David Warner was 25 when he made his test debut.
Phillip Hughes was 25 when he died.

A batsman's peak is in his late 20s and early 30s. Phillip Hughes never reached that peak. He had a better or comparable shield record to all the above bar Ponting.

At the start of this season there was only one Shield player with a shield batting average over 50. It wasn't Clarke. It wasn't Warner. It wasn't Smith. It wasn't Rogers or David Hussey. It was Phillip Hughes.

Phillip Hughes was dropped again and again from the test team and each time told by the selectors to work on something new. He always put his head down and worked on what he was asked to do.
The first time he got dropped he went all the way to ask Sachin Tendulkar for advice.
The second time he got dropped he gave up a six figure contract to play BBL so he could play club cricket in Sydney and work on his technique.
The last time he got dropped was a test after he scored 81* in a record partnership with Ashton Agar.
Ed Cowan got 18 tests in a row from the selectors. He had a worse test record than Hughes.
Doolan, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell. They all have worse test record than Phillip Hughes.

But the selectors held Hughes to a higher standard because they knew he was a higher talent. He'd fix his technique up bit by bit and make his comeback later- just like Langer, just like Hayden, just like Martyn.
He was 25. We all thought he'd have the time to work on his technique and make it to the next level and finally become the great player he was always going to become.
He would have got that chance against India this summer.

He was improving. Three double centuries in his professional career- all in the last 12 months.

When he first came along, when he scored those twin centuries against South Africa, he never played the pull shot. He grew up playing cricket everyday in his backyard and couldn't hit the ball down legside because it would damage his mothers garden. So he learnt to back away and turn the pullshot into an offside shot.
Flintoff sorted this out and among one of the things Hughes had to prove to selectors to get selected again was that he could play the pull shot.

Phillip Hughes was more than the great unfulfilled cricket talent.
He was the man who dreamed of buying and running a farm with his father when he retired from cricket.

Vale Hughesy.
He died playing the pull shot.
Click to expand...

Great Tribute mate.
Still remember his gutsy knocks in the last few Tests in India. It was clear that he was one strong lad who would never give up. Unfortunately, like his life, his innings of 70 was also wrongfully terminated (by a howler from the umpire). If only he had got to that hundred, he would probably have been given a much longer rope in the side. Sadly, that was not to be.
 
Convict said:

Four Australian test players scored multiple test centuries before turning 21
Don Bradman
Neil Harvey
Doug Walters
Phillip Hughes

Just this morning on four current Australian players had over 20 first class centuries - Chris Rogers, Michael Clarke, David Hussey and Phillip Hughes. Three are in their mid 30s. Phillip was 25.

Phillip Hughes is the youngest to score two test centuries in a test match.
Phillip Hughes is the only Australian to score a century on his ODI debut.
Phillip Hughes was the first Australian to score a double century in List A cricket.
Phillip Hughes scored all three of his professional double centuries in the last 12 months. His last first class century was a score of 243* against South Africa A. His last list A century was a score of 202* against South Africa A.

Phillip Hughes was 24 the last time he played for the Australian test team.
Michael Clarke was the same age when he was dropped from the Australian team.
Ricky Ponting was about the same age when he was dropped.
Steve Waugh hadn't even scored a test century after a similar number of test to Hughes.
Damien Martyn, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer only made their test comebacks in their late 20s.
Mike Hussey was in his 30s when he made his test debut.
Adam Gilchrist was in his late 20s.
Chris Rogers and Simon Katich in their 30s when they got and grasped their second chance at test level.
David Warner was 25 when he made his test debut.
Phillip Hughes was 25 when he died.

A batsman's peak is in his late 20s and early 30s. Phillip Hughes never reached that peak. He had a better or comparable shield record to all the above bar Ponting.

At the start of this season there was only one Shield player with a shield batting average over 50. It wasn't Clarke. It wasn't Warner. It wasn't Smith. It wasn't Rogers or David Hussey. It was Phillip Hughes.

Phillip Hughes was dropped again and again from the test team and each time told by the selectors to work on something new. He always put his head down and worked on what he was asked to do.
The first time he got dropped he went all the way to ask Sachin Tendulkar for advice.
The second time he got dropped he gave up a six figure contract to play BBL so he could play club cricket in Sydney and work on his technique.
The last time he got dropped was a test after he scored 81* in a record partnership with Ashton Agar.
Ed Cowan got 18 tests in a row from the selectors. He had a worse test record than Hughes.
Doolan, Shaun Marsh, Glenn Maxwell. They all have worse test record than Phillip Hughes.

But the selectors held Hughes to a higher standard because they knew he was a higher talent. He'd fix his technique up bit by bit and make his comeback later- just like Langer, just like Hayden, just like Martyn.
He was 25. We all thought he'd have the time to work on his technique and make it to the next level and finally become the great player he was always going to become.
He would have got that chance against India this summer.

He was improving. Three double centuries in his professional career- all in the last 12 months.

When he first came along, when he scored those twin centuries against South Africa, he never played the pull shot. He grew up playing cricket everyday in his backyard and couldn't hit the ball down legside because it would damage his mothers garden. So he learnt to back away and turn the pullshot into an offside shot.
Flintoff sorted this out and among one of the things Hughes had to prove to selectors to get selected again was that he could play the pull shot.

Phillip Hughes was more than the great unfulfilled cricket talent.
He was the man who dreamed of buying and running a farm with his father when he retired from cricket.

Vale Hughesy.
He died playing the pull shot.
Click to expand...

GREAT GREAT post mate, Beautifully composed

RIP Hughes. Such posts make me a little more sad and little more emotional about this entire scenario
 
I still cant get over this.Phil Hughes had such an infectious smile.

If its ok with the MODS i can post a pic of the course of the vertebral artery and you can see how difficult it is for anything to hit that artery.This is sheer ill luck.Sheer Illluck.
[MENTION=30287]Sakss[/MENTION] can i post the pic?
 
Great tragedy. RIP Phil Hughes and condolences to his family. Also feel for Sean Abbott, not sure how he will overcome this.
 
I still can't comprehend the fact that he is gone, tears in my eyes! That picture with the 63* "joins the crease with a new batting partner" has really brought the tears to my eyes. I guess another aspect to this is, my brain can't comprehend the fact that in today's day and age this happened, again showing us how rare of an incident this was. :( :( :((:((

It was his time, I guess we're all having a hard time digest the fact he was only 25. I still remember the camera pointing at him in the recent Pakistan vs Australia series, and everytime the guy had this huge smile on his face. He is in a better place, may his soul rest in peace. Condolences to his family and all sports lovers around the world.

Also have to feel for Sean Abbott, stay strong buddy, it was not your fault and you will pull through this.
 
Tragic, just tragic.
Wonderful batsman, even more wonderful person.
Tears welled up in my eyes when I saw CA's video.
 
really shockng news....i thought he ll come out of this injury ...never thougt he will die...feel sad after hearthis news...feel bad fod sean abbott too...rip hughes...
 
Having heard Phil died a few days short of his 26th birthday, it saddened me to learn that it would have been on the 30th. That date is very dear to me as its also my baby daughter Inaarah's birthday, who sadly passed away in 2012. RIP both.
 
Was very saddened to wake up to the news of his passing. All the best to his family and friends in this difficult time.

Chin up Sean Abbott, not your fault.
 
Couldn't focus at work today after reading the news early in the morning. Completely devastated, I just expected him to make it through.

My respect to Michael Clarke as well. He really comes across as a great human being through all this.
 
B3cYKBqCAAAL-Wt.jpg

Hope this pic isnt offensive for anyone.If it is MODS please remove it and i apologise in advance.
 
i would not be able to concentrate had I had school today. My day off was ruined and tomorrow is another day off and I still will be too upset by this. Today was a bad day for me and this wasn't the only bad thing that happened :( I actually feel really upset. Normally when I hear someone has died I feel sorry for a few minutes and just move on but this has really affected me. He was one of my favourite Australian players, he seemed a very nice person.
 
cricketjoshila said:
Sir Don Bradman.

This actually shows them both walking out to bat together in the heavens.
Click to expand...

Of course it is, I'm stupid.
And yeah, I understood that part, but now I get it all, I appreciate how beautiful a metaphor it is.
 
Goodbyes hurt more than anything. Especially when deep down you know you will never say 'hello' again
RIP son.
 
Felt really awful all day, just kept thinking about this tragedy all the time, replaying it in my head again and again. Such a needless loss of life. No one can even imagine the devastation his family must be feeling right now. Nothing will ever fill that void. Truly sad.
 
RIP Phillip Hughes. Just a freak accident for this to happen. Hope Sean Abbot knows that and that he gets help with counselling as this is going to affect him perhaps for the rest of his life
 
In junior cricket players have to retire after scoring 50.

This weekend it will be 63
 
I first heard of Phillip when he scored twin hundreds in SA. A star was born.

Now tragically taken away, it is too soon :-(

We will miss you and your videos have left me close to tears. You were a family man, a nice person.

RIP :-(
 
My condolences to all starting with his family, his friends including within the Aus team and also the wider cricket world including fans.

Proud to be a cricket fan today and see everybody unite.

I hope the game in the future is played in the spirit that Phil played it in and with a smile on the face.
 
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