Sporting world in deep shock after Phillip Hughes tragedy

Sport360 staff 07:18 29/11/2014
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  • Grieving: Melbourne Victory supporters pay their respect to Phillip Hughes during an A-League match between Melbourne and Adelaide United yesterday.

    Flags flew at half-mast and thou­sands of fans and players paid trib­ute on Friday as Australia and the world cricket community united in an outpouring of grief for the tragic death of batsman Phillip Hughes.

    — Telegraph Rugby (@TelegraphRugby) November 28, 2014

    Cricketers the world over paused to remember the player, and a spon­taneous #putoutyourbats campaign received a massive response with thousands posting pictures of bats on Twitter.

    Hughes was knocked uncon­scious while batting in a domestic game on Tuesday. The 25-year-old died two days later on Thursday from massive bleeding in his brain, becoming one of the highest profile deaths in sport since Formula One icon Ayrton Senna in 1994.

    Shock at the freak accident pulsed around the globe as Hughes featured on front pages world­wide and flags were at half-mast at Lord’s, the home of cricket in Lon­don.

    New South Wales authorities an­nounced a public memorial service for Hughes, while next week’s first Test against India hung in the bal­ance.

    Australia’s stunned Test team comforted each other in an extraor­dinary team meeting at the Sydney Cricket Ground yesterday.

    Four players in Australia’s Test squad – David Warner, Brad Had­din, Shane Watson and Nathan Lyon – were on the field when he collapsed after being hit by a Sean Abbott delivery.

    “Six or seven days is not a long time, but right now with where we all are, it seems like a million miles away,” said Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, refer­ring to next week’s game in Bris­bane.

    Sutherland said the “understand­ing and empathy” of the Board of Control for Cricket in India has been “absolutely outstanding”.

    “They understand that these are unique and extraordinary circum­stances,” he said, adding: “Cricket will go on and it will go on when we’re ready.”

    Both the Sydney Cricket Ground and the cavernous Melbourne Cricket Ground lowered their flags to half-mast, while club teams from Australia to India paused in a minute’s silence.

    Before play in the third Test against Pakistan, New Zealand’s players lined up their bats and caps outside their dressing room in som­bre tribute. Both teams in Sharjah, who cancelled play on Thursday in shock at the news, also held a minute’s silence and donned black armbands.

    Rank-and-file fans and su­perstars alike contributed to #putoutyourbats, posting pictures of bats leaning against front doors, stadiums and statues.

    Previously anonymous Sydney­sider Paul D. Taylor, who started the campaign, said he was “humbled by the outcome”.

    The tragedy transcended sports. Golf No1 Rory McIlroy wore a black ribbon as he played the Australian Open in Sydney, and tennis star Rafael Nadal offered his condolenc­es. Fans of Western Sydney Wan­derers planned a minute’s applause at 63 minutes – Hughes’ score when he was struck down – during Satur­day’s derby match against Sydney FC. Australia’s rugby team will wear black armbands when they play England at Twickenham today, and a message of sympathy came from New Zealand’s All Blacks.

    Doctors said the ball cannoned into the base of Hughes’ skull, split­ting his vertebral artery and caus­ing massive bleeding in his brain.

    Hughes, who was struck below his helmet while facing New South Wales pacer Sean Abbott, remained standing for a few seconds after the blow, before crashing to the pitch face-first. Experts called it a freak injury with only 100 cases ever reported. 

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