Another fine tribute
There have been many emotional moments and tributes from Australian cricketers since the tragic death of Phil Hughes last November and they keep on coming.
A plaque commemorating Hughes was unveiled at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Monday and one of his former team-mates David Warner paid an equalling fitting tribute to his mate with a classy gesture when he reached 63 not out, the score Hughes was on when he was fatally struck by the ball on the same ground..
The tribute took place in almost the exact spot where Hughes collapsed after being struck in the neck by a delivery from Sean Abbott.
Warner went on to make 101 against India in Australia’s first game at the SCG since Hughes died.
Warner even touched the plaque on his way out to the crease so we can only imagine how emotional he was when he reached the milestone.
He immediately dropped to kiss the ground near the very spot where Hughes collapsed after moving on to 63 not out.
He had tears in his eyes as he then looked to the sky in tribute to Hughes.
Warner even admitted afterwards that he struggled to hold it together after the tribute to Hughes before play on day one of the fourth Test.
‘I had a tear in my eye this morning when I walked out to warm up and I saw Greg up in the stands and Megs (Hughes’ father and sister) and it’s fantastic for them to be here,’ Warner told reporters.
‘The hurt and the pain that they’ve gone through and how much it would have hurt them to come back today.
‘It’s courageous for them to be here and I applaud them for making the effort to come down, it’s fantastic.
‘I was quite emotional at the anthems, the little tribute beforehand sort of put those memories back in place and seeing that little smile up on the board before going out there to sing the national anthem was quite hard.
‘I had a minute when I came back off before we went onto the field of play and I had my head in a towel and I had to dig deep and go out there and bat the way I know I can and try and clear my mind.’
