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Cricket players, fans and members of the public continue to mourn Phillip Hughes, with plans for minute-long silences and black armband tributes adding to the outpouring of grief at his untimely death.
Hughes died on Thursday afternoon after being felled by a bouncer from Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG on Tuesday.
Three days later, flags were flying half-mast and a row of commemorative cricket bats were resting against the members’ entrance gate.
“RIP P Hughes, 63NO Forever,” one read.
Self-described cricket tragic Natan Rutstein said he felt “gutted” when he heard of the young player’s death as he added a bouquet to the collection outside the Cricket NSW offices.
“I’d feel hollow if I hadn’t actually gone and visited,” the Pagewood local said through tears.
“It’s just not the way it’s supposed to be.”
On Thursday night, an estimated 200 players, friends and officials gathered at the SCG to celebrate Hughes’ life.
The party filled the front bar and spilled into the dressing room, while some guests roamed onto the pitch.
Officials described the hastily-put-together affair as informal and while there were many tears, there was just as many laughs.
“I think reflections last night were a little bit about what has happened in such a short space of time,” said Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland.
“But I also know there were some great stories being told and quite a lot of a laughter about the cheeky little boy from Macksville who had the highest ambitions for himself and his cricket game.”
CA has recommended community cricket clubs and associations observe a minute’s silence before each day’s play over the weekend.
Players were also asked to wear black armbands.
Some clubs had already planned to paint 408, Hughes’ baggy green number, onto the grass of their ovals.
Junior clubs were also encouraged to change their retirement tally from 50 to 63 – the New South Welshman’s last, curtailed batting score.
Internationally, English fans also left bundles of flowers and flags flew at half-mast at Lord’s, where Hughes had played for Middlesex.
“We remember a kind, fun-filled young man,” a letter from the club read.
“What a great talent he was.”
On Twitter, the “putoutyourbats” hashtag has also been embraced by cricket players and fans alike.
Former Australia captain Adam Gilchrist posted a touching image of his kids’ miniature bats lined up on the front gate, the caption simply reading: “From the Gilly kids xxxx.”
A row of yellow bats were lined up outside Macksville Public School in Hughes’ hometown on the mid north coast, while Cricket Australia staff have put 63 up in the front window of their Jolimont headquarters in Melbourne.
As the cricket community continues to mourn, a decision has not yet been made about the upcoming Test in Brisbane, due to begin on Thursday.
“We need to make sure the players are in a position where they can make strong choices, and that’s not now,” high performance manager Pat Howard said.
“We’re going to focus on people first, then the cricket.”
Hughes would have celebrated his 26th birthday on Sunday.
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