Adelaide Oval’s perfect tribute to Phillip Hughes

IN THE ultimate show of respect for an Australian cricketer, Phillip Hughes’ name was emblazoned across the historic Adelaide Oval scoreboard.

IT IS the ultimate show of respect for an Australian cricketer.

As a nation — and indeed cricket fans around the world — mourned the tragic death of Phillip Hughes, the South Australian batsman’s name was emblazoned across the historic Adelaide Oval scoreboard.

“Vale Phillip Hughes 1988-2014,” read the message on the iconic screen.

More than 1400km away, out the front of the SCG, an electronic screen still advertised the NSW versus South Australia Sheffield Shield match that should have still been taking place inside.

It was a fitting tribute to a favourite son of Australian cricket who will forever remain 63 not out.

Instead, of hosting men dressed in white playing the game they love, the SCG dressing rooms were filled with members of a desperate, mourning but united family.

Cricket is a tight-knit game and never was that clearer than yesterday.

An Indian tour match was postponed, a Test match in the UAE suspended and a round of grade cricket called off.

The Adelaide Oval’s perfect gesture.

Next week’s Test match will almost certainly go ahead, but it’s too early to think about that now.

Australian captain Michael Clarke has shown enormous leadership and maturity in the most trying of circumstances, and for that he was specially commended by Australian team doctor Peter Brukner, another stoic figure in recent days.

“Phil has always been like a little brother to Michael. The family are obviously going through a difficult time and I’m not sure they would have coped without Michael’s assistance,” Brukner said.

“I was just enormously impressed with the genuine care and love that he gave to the Hughes family and I think he deserves enormous credit.”

Mourners spent time out on the SCG turf.

For long after others had ventured back to the rooms, Clarke cut a solitary figure out in the middle.

It’s impossible to imagine the grief.

The Australian flags are lowered to half mast at the SCG.

Phillip Hughes at his best.

Hughes’ parents Virginia and Greg and siblings Megan and Jason were at the hospital when the heart breaking decision to turn off his life support was made.

He had never regained consciousness since Tuesday when he suffered the freak injury — confirmed by Dr Brukner as one of only a hundred odd reported cases.

Hughes’ debut and farewell first-class matches were both held at the SCG.

In between he made 26 first-class hundreds and played 26 Tests before he’d even reached his 26th birthday.

That milestone was to happen on Sunday, the same day he likely would have celebrated another achievement in re-joining the Test fold in Brisbane.

David Warner and wife Candice Falzon leave St Vincent's Hospital.

In the early afternoon, Warner, partner Candice Falzon and the girlfriend of another former Moises Henriques embraced in the middle of Driver Avenue, in a highly emotional scene which gave a hint of the tragic news which was to come.

Sean Abbott, the talented and much-loved all-rounder who accidentally struck Hughes with that fateful bouncer, walked into the SCG precinct to join his brothers.

He was to be welcomed with open arms.

This was no one’s fault.

Flags at the SCG flew at half-mast.

It’s difficult to imagine cricket being the same ever again.

Originally published as Adelaide Oval’s perfect tribute to Phillip Hughes