Mid West shares nation’s grief

The life of Australian Test batsman Phillip Hughes was celebrated by cricketers across the Mid West on the weekend.

Junior and senior players paused before their matches to pay homage to Hughes, still only 25 when he died.

Players, umpires and officials lined up before play — not for the traditional minute’s silence but for 63 seconds — the same number of runs Hughes had when he was hurt.

At most games, players stood their bats upright along the boundary fence.

Usually, their team cap was left hanging atop the handle in another mark of respect for the popular Macksville-born batsman.

Hughes played 26 Tests and many believe was destined to play a lot more, as well as adding considerably to his three Test centuries.

Hughes was also warmly remembered by senior players who gathered, as cricketers always have after a game, for a few drinks.

The common theme was what a dreadful loss, but also that Hughes finished his cricket with the bowlers, as they often were in his 114 first class matches, at his mercy.

Cricket, unlike most games, forces players to spend time together for hours when their side is batting, except for when they themselves are in the middle.

Getting to know your colleagues is simply unavoidable and there is plenty of sledging and humour among all the banter.

It says much about Hughes that those who knew him best from those exchanges recall him more fondly for the man he was rather than the cricketer he had been.

Those who love cricket all over Australia, and indeed the cricketing world, paused on the weekend to honour the unassuming Hughes.

One of our own, Brock McCashney, scored his maiden 50 for Sportsmans on Saturday and later said he thought of Hughes when he raised his bat.

One of our own, Brock McCashney, scored his maiden 50 on Saturday and said he thought of Hughes when he raised his bat.