Australia marks 10 years since the death of cricketer Phillip Hughes

Family and teammates paid tribute to the late Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes on Wednesday, marking 10 years since he died after being hit in the neck while batting.

Hughes, who played 26 matches, died from a brain haemorrhage after being hit by a rising ball during a domestic match at the Sydney Cricket Ground in November 2014.

Images of 25-year-old Hughes lying helplessly on the pitch as players rushed to his aid shocked the global cricket community, sparking an outpouring of grief and calls for the game to be made safer.

“Phillip was a loving, humorous and contagious person,” his family said in a statement issued on the 10th anniversary of his death.

“He played cricket for the right reasons and could take everything in stride.

“He loved being part of the team and representing Australia in the game he loved so much.”

Former teammate David Warner said that Hughes would be as good, “if not better”, than himself and fellow great batsman Steve Smith.

“I’d like to think he was probably a more complete player than I was,” he told Australia’s NewsCorp.

Australia coach Darren Lehmann, at the time of Hughes’ death, said the promising batsman would have played “120 Test matches, there is no doubt about it”.

“The way he played, he just went from strength to strength,” he told national broadcaster ABC.

Cricket Australia said Hughes’ memory will live “forever in our hearts”, stating that he will “forever lose 63” from his score at the time of the knock.

The governing body has announced a series of events to mark the anniversary, coinciding with the second Test between Australia and India, which starts on December 6.

In his honor, players will wear black armbands in upcoming domestic matches across the country.

sft/des

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