Cricket again mourns Phillip Hughes

The cricket world has again mourned Phillip Hughes on the one-year anniversary of his death.

Phillip Hughes.

Day one of the third Test marks the first anniversary of the death of batsman Phillip Hughes. (AAP)

There was Phillip Hughes again. But not where he should be.

He was in hearts. On minds. On screen. But not where he belonged - on a cricket field.

A year after Hughes' death, cricket's extended family again mourned the loss of a little brother, or Bruz as those closest to Hughes called him.

At the request of Hughes' family, the tributes were kept simple.

In Adelaide, as cricket changed with its first day-night Test, there were heartfelt reminders of the day cricket changed forever - November 27, 2014, the day Hughes died.

Australian and New Zealand players wore black armbands - as did Sheffield Shield cricketers around the nation.

Before the Test started, Australian captain Steve Smith tweeted: "1 year has passed since we lost our great mate. Will be thinking of you out in the middle today as always Bruz. #63notout #408forever".

His predecessor Michael Clarke, who described Hughes as a little brother, also tweeted: "Wish you were here #408".

There was a timely ceremony in Adelaide, at 4.08pm local time - Hughes was the 408th man to play Test cricket for Australia.

The ceremony, in the first break of play, was telecast on the big video screen next to Adelaide Oval's historic scoreboard which also bore a reminder of Hughes: a simple sign `Remembering 408'.

Australian players came out of their dressing room to watch the three minute televised tribute.

Smith, coach Darren Lehmann, David Warner - who was first to Hughes when he was felled - and others stood near the fence and watched a tribute which featured photos of Hughes as a boy, to video highlights of his career as an Australian player.

The Australians, and the rest of the Adelaide crowd, applauded after the touching tributes as the cricket world also recalled the precocious talent who died aged 25.

In Sydney, the man who delivered the fatal ball - NSW paceman Sean Abbott - did what he does best: bowled fast, on the very ground where Hughes was felled two days before he died.

Abbott, who hasn't spoken publicly about his unwilling role in Hughes' death, took two early Sheffield Shield wickets while outside the SCG was another simple tribute: a cricket bat leant against the gates, alongside a bunch of flowers.

A world away in Dubai, a bat and an Australian cap were placed outside the International Cricket Council's headquarters.

And on social media, from Pakistan to England to India and seemingly everywhere in between, Hughes and the hashtags #63notout and #63notoutforever were prominent.


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Source: AAP



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