Australian captain Michael Clarke has put pen to paper in a heartfelt tribute to his friend, team-mate and “brother” Phillip Hughes after his tragic passing on Thursday.
In a piece for The Sunday Telegraph, Clarke celebrated Hughes’s 26th birthday by reflecting on his life on and off the field, describing him as “one of life’s true characters and gentlemen”.
“His cricketing achievements – of which there were many – really play second fiddle to the human qualities that he exhibited,” Clarke wrote.
“Loyal to a fault, eternally optimistic, kind hearted, wicked sense of humour, a child like verve for life … I really could go on and on.
“I met him as a boy of 17, when he came down to Sydney from Macksville to play for my club Western Suburbs.
“I was drawn to him instantly, falling for his cheeky grin and love of life. Phillip truly was uncomplicated – what you saw was what you got.”
Mamamia’s gallery of the touching photos shared by Michael Clarke on his Instagram yesterday (post continues after gallery):
Clarke talked of Hughes’s country upbringing, describing his parents Greg and Virginia as “salt of the earth Aussies”, and recounted his love of life on the farm.
” I remember the last time we batted together. We would meet in the middle of the pitch and I would be asking him whether the ball was moving in the air or off the deck,” Clarke remembered.
“All he could do was talk about his cattle. What that man didn’t know about cows wasn’t worth knowing.
“He was a world champion at expressing the smallest facts about Black Angus in particular. He loved them so much he was trying to convince me to run a herd of them on my own farm.”
Hughes spent much of his career fighting to regain or retain his place in the Australian Test side, but Clarke praised his resilience and humility, saying he was “as mentally tough as they came”.
“If he had a tough conversation with a selector he would nod, agree he needed to work harder, grin because he felt bad for the person delivering the message and then get on with it.
“You knew deep down he was shattered because playing cricket for his country meant everything to him.
“But his head wouldn’t drop because he knew his team-mates didn’t need that – he was honoured to be running drinks as 12th man for his mates and he went out of his way to show that.”
Clarke described Hughes as a “prodigious talent”.
“He may not have had textbook technique – show me someone who does – but what this man could do is score runs for fun,” Clarke said.
“At only 25 years of age he had 26 centuries to his name in first class cricket, and I have no doubt he would have made it 27 last Tuesday.
“What an amazing talent.
“I said a couple of months ago that I had no doubt Phillip would have gone on to play 100 tests, such was his determination and skill.”
Clarke struggled through a heartbreaking speech on Saturday morning, in which he revealed Hughes’s ODI number of 64 would be retired in his honour, but used this piece to honour the life and celebrate his birthday.
“I heard a mate a few days ago refer to Phillip’s life through this line from an old military poem and I think it perfectly sums him up,” Clarke said.
“One crowded hour of glorious life is worth an age without a name.
“Phillip was taken from all of us way too soon, but his attitude to life, his achievements on and off the field, and the hundreds of friends he made along the way all demonstrate that he did indeed live a crowded hour.”
“That his career, and his life, was cut short in his prime is incredibly unfair.
“I don’t have a blood brother, but I am very proud to have called Phillip my brother. I am a better man for having known him.
“Vale Hugh Dog. I will miss you forever, but I will not forget.
“Happy birthday bro.”
Hughes’s funeral will be held in his home town of Macksville at 2:00pm (AEDT) on Wednesday, in the sports hall of his high school.
Cricket Australia (CA) has opted to postpone Australia’s first Test against India at the Gabba as players continue to struggle with grief after the death of Hughes.
CLICK THROUGH a gallery of tributes for Phillip Hughes.
This article was originally published on the ABC here and has been republished with full permission.
Top Comments
I know I'm going to get savaged for this but enough is enough. For days on end the media have been reporting this "tragedy" and overdoing it.
It was a terrible accident, not a tragedy. He was playing cricket for Christ sake, not fighting in Iraq!
It's completely out of kilter, a terrible very sad accident but it's been blown way out of proportion.
Australia's obsession with sport is perturbing.
Wow! If dying at such a young age doing what you love infront of your teammates, family, friends and supporters isn't a tragedy then god bless your cold soul. RIP HUGHSEY XXX
Around 400 people per day die in Australia. A great many of the deaths are tragic, many of them are young people, even children. Almost all of them sad for someone.
I wonder if the accidental death of a cancer researcher would receive this level of blanket news coverage. I suspect not, and I find myself asking why that is.
I would think it's fairly obvious. A person's death is broadcast and mourned within their community and if you were loved by one person or millions of people your loss is still just as sad.
Please stop. We've already read this on a dozen other sites, just as we've read everything else you post. Mia hatred of sport is well documented. Every time another Phillip Hughes tribute pops up here I puke in my mouth.
I think you need to "stop"!
Stop and have a good hard look at yourself and try to do better!
This has nothing at all to do with Mia's (or anyone else's) dislike of sport and everything to do with the very sad fact that a young man lost his life and his death has affected many people, whether they were cricket fans or not.
I myself NEVER watch any sport but I feel absolutely heartbroken for Phillip Hughes' family, friends and team mates and I am sure that they don't want us all to stop reading tributes for him.
Stop being so heartless.
I'm just wondering who was holding the gun to your head to force you to read the article. Oh no, it's so much more satisfying to mock the genuine grief of people like Michael Clarke so you can feel a sense of superiority. You're so much better for it. Well done.
I also have shed many tears for Phillip and his family. This is not about Phillip. It's about Mamamia constantly repeating news from other sites. Sites that have paid journalists, editors, technical staff, printers, photographers etc to produce. Taking it from the ABC sites is even worse! The taxpayer has paid for the story by Mia profits from it. It's not on.
Nobody forced you to click into the article. Everyone can question the media coverage of death I'm sure - but this is not something to question or mock. This is a piece written by a man who has lost one of his dearest friends. It is his one moment where he can say his personal feelings - as opposed to having to "do your job" (which he whispered to himself at the press conference yesterday when he was finding it too difficult to go one). I'll be honest - I hate watching cricket. I really do. But this horrific accident has affected myself and so many people I know. I've also been mourning the sudden death of a friend who passed this week. It was also sudden. If people feel a sense of grief - there is nothing wrong with that. Grief is a significant emotion. It is also an emotion that can bring people together - and I've been heartened by the signs of tribute to Hughes this week. Nobody is forcing you to agree with the opinion. Just like nobody forced you to click to read the article.