- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Phillip Joel Hughes has died aged 25. He has been taken away from his family, friends, and the cricket-loving public too soon.
Before I can speak about the pleasure of watching this young man grace our game, I cannot deny the sorrow I feel towards his former teammate Sean Abbott.
There is no solace or consolation that can be found for this young person. The cricket population fervently hopes this person gets the support he desperately needs to get through what is likely to shape the remainder of his life.
STORY: Phil Hughes passes away
» Phil Hughes career in pictures
Remembering Phillip Hughes’ career is akin to watching a young flower that never truly blossomed, yet was destined to be beautiful.
Possessing an unrefined technique, hand-eye coordination to die for, and a penchant for the unorthodox, Hughes’ career will be remembered for what may have been, and had it not been for one fateful November day, what it would have been.
The Macksville populace will forever remember the kid who would ruthlessly dismantle bowling attack one after next that came in his path.
At 17, he bid farewell to life on the banana farm for fare in the big city.
For Western Suburbs and NSW, the runmaking spree continued, so much so that the then 20-year-old was selected on his first tour for Australia in 2009, and picked instantly to replace the retired Matthew Hayden.
After a first up failure in his first innings in Test cricket, Hughes then proceeded to score 75, 115 and 160 in his following three digs, thus cementing his icon as Australia’s bright future in the post Warne-McGrath-Gilchrist-Hayden era.
Regrettably, it never came to be, as Hughes often came to be the victim of that period’s quizzical selection decisions, as bits and pieces cricketers were often favoured over a man who had a sheer ability to score runs, regardless of method or madness.
I don’t write to statistically analyse a scrutinise a career for its inability to meet expectation. I write to honour a man who wore a smile on his face doing what he loved and bringing pleasure to all who watched him play. In Phillip Hughes, we knew a 21st century cricketer who possessed little by way of brand, but completely of substance.
Rest in peace, Phillip Hughes. World cricket stands by your side.
Build your own fantasy cricket team and put it to the test with Draftstars daily fantasy competitions. Pick your match, pick your team and watch the points roll in to take out cash prizes on each match. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit.