Remembering Phillip Hughes

Forever 63 not out

I skyped with Forrest first this morning, just before the end of his weekend in New Zealand. He gave me the nod that people were meeting down at the Cricket Club in Ben Rhydding to pay a tribute to Phillip Hughes. He asked me if I could take one of his bats down to lay against the scoreboard. We held a few minutes silence.

I don't recall a death in sport that has quite united a worldwide community in grief as much as this has. Perhaps that is because of his background and his personality, and that there were as many downs in his short career as ups. He represented everybody's son, a country boy with no pretensions, just a simple love of cricket, for which he was born with a prodigious but raw talent. For anyone who plays cricket, he could so easily have been your own teammate. Just one of the lads.

Forrest wrote a few words in tribute, and they mean more coming from him, as a batsman just a couple of years younger in age, than any that I could write.


I remember Phil Hughes. I remember watching his breathtaking twin hundreds against South Africa. I remember his blistering cut shot. I remember the awkward technique which defied every coaching manual ever written.

I remember Hughes - batting on 93 in just his second Test match - launching Paul Harris for successive sixes to reach his first Test hundred. I remember the wild celebrations, the unbridled joy.

For those that knew and loved him - and there were many that loved him - they will remember Hughes the man. They will remember his cheeky grin and the twinkle in his eye.

It is impossible to comprehend, explain or make sense of Hughes' passing. It is nonsensical. It is unfair. It is an utter tragedy.

What we can do, is honour Hughes by always remembering. Remembering how he played the game we all love, and endeavoring to play it the same way.

Rest in peace Hughesy, we'll always remember.



As you can see, it was a beautiful morning. I went out on the bike for a few hours to find some headspace and that felt great. It was just a shame to be feeling the pressure of time. It stopped me enjoying the ride as much as I should have done. Since getting back I've been at the computer, completing the update of our systems that I was preparing for yesterday. These things always take much longer than I expect.I am forever the optimist!