Cricket Australia has planned a series of initiatives to mark the 10th anniversary of the tragic death of Phillip Hughes including a tribute before the start of the second Test between India and Australia at the Adelaide Oval scheduled from December 6-10. CA will also honour the late Australian cricketer during the upcoming three Sheffield Shield games, as players will wear black armbands and flags will fly at half-mast. A promising left-hander who played 26 Tests, Hughes lost his life just days before his 26th birthday in 2014 after being struck by a bouncer during a domestic match.Representing South Australia, Hughes was hit on an unprotected area below his left ear while attempting a hook shot against Sean Abbott at the SCG. Despite wearing a helmet, the impact proved fatal.
“We understand this will be a time of reflection for the many people who knew and admired Phillip Hughes,” Cricket Australia (CA) CEO Nick Hockley said on Friday.
“We wanted to ensure that the Hughes family, particularly, were comfortable with any commemorations and that we celebrate Phillip’s life and incredible achievements appropriately,” he added.
The home association, which has produced a special documentary on him, will broadcast it ahead of the second Test, as part of a two-week commemoration programme.
A moment’s silence will also be observed before play on day four of all matches.
Batting on 63, Hughes collapsed before receiving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and was subsequently taken to St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney, where he underwent surgery and was placed in an induced coma.
Hughes, however, could not recover from the blow and died on November 27. The left-hander was viewed as one of the promising Australian cricketers as the team went through a transitional phase.
In the Australia-India Adelaide Test that followed his death a decade ago, the southpaw was named as the home team’s 13th player with 63 (the score he was batting at in his last match) seconds of applause observed ahead of the game.