‘RIP you little champ’: Test cricketer Phillip Hughes dead at 25, two days after he was struck in the head by a ball as shattered teammates console each other on Australian cricket’s darkest day
- Cricketer Phillip Hughes has died age 25, surrounded by close family and friends
- Team doctor Peter Brukner said he was not in pain when he passed away a short time ago
- ‘He never regained consciousness following his injury’
- The tragic development has sparked a huge emotional outpouring from the Australian community
- The national flag has been lowered to half mast at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Phillip Hughes has died in hospital surrounded by family and friends, three days before his 26th birthday.
He never recovered from a devastating bouncer to the back of his head at the Sheffield Shield clash at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday afternoon.
The tragic development sparked a huge outpouring of emotion from the Australian and international community.
Team doctor Peter Brukner said: ‘It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away.
‘He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday.
‘He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.
‘As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip’s family and friends at this incredibly sad time.’
Australian skipper Michael Clarke, who was a constant beside presence at St Vincent’s Hospital this week, read out a solemn statement on behalf of Hughes’ mum, Virginia, dad Greg, sister Megan and brother Jason.
‘We’re devastated by the loss of our much loved son and brother Phillip,’ Clarke said. ‘Cricket was Phillip’s life and we as a family shared that life with him.
‘We’d like to thank all the medical staff at St Vincent’s Hospital and Cricket Australia.
‘We love you.’
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Rest in peace: Phillip Hughes has died age 25 at St Vincent’s Hospital. He was set to turn 26-years-old on Sunday
‘We love you’: An emotional Australian skipper Michael Clarke read out a statement on behalf of Hughes’ family
Century! Phillip Hughes was ‘dearly loved’, Cricket Australia CEO James Suthland told reporters. ‘Without doubt, he was a rising star, whose best cricket was still ahead of him… A hero to kids around the nation’
Legend: Hughes was a keen cricketer, even as a youngster in Macksville (left). As a professional cricketer, he would go on to beat on of Don Bradman’s record. Hughes holds the highest percentage of runs scored by one man in a first class match
The statement from Australian team doctor Peter Brukner
In Australian colours: Phillip Hughes played 26 Test matches for his country
Distraught: Close mate David Warner and Candice Falzon console each other as they leave St Vincent’s Hospital
Warner and Falzon embrace each other as they leave the hospital this afternoon
Double tragedy: Bowler Sean Abbott – whose bouncer hit Hughes in a freak accident – was comforted as he left St Vincent’s Hospital on Thursday afternoon
‘Phil would in no way hold Sean responsible’: Hughes’ friend, broadcaster, Alan Jones took to the airwaves as the cricket community rallied behind bowler Sean Abbott
‘The whole of Australian cricket is grieving’: Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland said. Above, Dave Warner, Candice Falzon, Matthew Wade and his partner are pictured leaving hospital on Thursday afternoon
Outside the hospital, the first sign Phillip Hughes had died was when the players and friends who had been gathered in St Vincent’s coffee shop left en masse to go upstairs to Hughes’ bedside at 3pm.
A shocked looking Ricky Ponting and batsman Steve Smith left the hospital 45 minutes later, while others stayed behind still trying to take in the harsh reality.
Vice-captain Brad Haddin soon re-emerged downstairs. Weeping and clearly distressed, he was comforted by family and friends.
Hughes suffered an ‘incredibly rare’ and ‘very freakish’ condition, known as vetebral artery dissection.
‘There’s only about 100 cases ever reported, so this is incredibly rare,’ Dr Bruckner told reporters.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the nation’s thoughts and prayers were with the felled cricketer’s family.
‘What happened has touched millions of Australians,’ Mr Abbott said.
‘For a young life to be cut short playing our national game seems a shocking aberration.’
Cricket legends mourned the loss of the left-handed opening batsman from Macksville in New South Wales, who made his Test debut in 2009 at the age of just 20.
He played 26 Test matches and made more than 1,500 runs, including three centuries.
Rest in peace: Phil Hughes, 25, passed away on Thursday afternoon
At Adelaide Oval – the homeground of his South Australian team – a heartfelt tribute was posted on the scoreboard
Hugs all round: Friends embrace after hearing the tragic news this afternoon
Bouncer: This is the shot that caused Phil Hughes’ fatal injury on Tuesday afternoon
Hughes, pictured after absorbing the shot, collapsed face first to the ground shortly after the bouncer smacked him toward the back of his head
Jim Maxwell, ABC Grandstand’s lead commentator, was overcome with emotion as he announced Hughes’ passing on air on Thursday afternoon, which had left him ‘absolutely numb’.
‘It’s absolutely shocking and I feel for his family and for Sean Abbott, who was the one who bowled that ball,’ Maxwell told 702 ABC Sydney.
‘I know that a lot of young players are going to be so traumatised and numbed by this.
‘Apparently some of them in that NSW team were sitting in that dressing room up until midnight last night. They went back for a counselling session, while there was still the hope that Phillip may get through, but I think the blow that he sustained was so damaging… it’s horrendous news.
‘For this to actually happen in a match on a big stage and at a point where he was playing so well, I understand he was going to be called up to the Test team to replace Michael Clarke.
‘It leaves you absolutely numb.’
‘You had to admire his spirit. He was very resilient, persevering – he’d been in and out of the team basically since he was a teenager.’
Australian nation cricket coach Darren Lehmann paid his condolences
Grief: Matthew Wade and his partner leave St Vincent’s Hospital this afternoon
Devastated former cricket captain Adam Gilchrist sums up the community’s devastation
Brad Haddin and Aaron Finch hug as Haddin arrives at St Vincent’s Hospital on Thursday morning
Both players warmly embraced before going into the hospital, showing clearly how the tragedy has brought the Australian players even closer together
Ponting and Siddle joined other players past and present who were holding a vigil inside the hospital
Boxer Anthony Mundine, who has been a close friend of Hughes for years, also paid a visit on Thursday
(From left) Aaron Finch, Tom Cooper, Dave Warner and former captain Steve Waugh at St Vincent ‘s Hospital
Tom Cooper (pictured) was batting with Hughes when the 25-year-old was hit in the head with a cricket ball
Australian cricket icons past and present have come together to comfort each other
Matthew Wade seen outsite St Vincent’s with his wife Julia after visiting Hughes and family
The Sydney Cricket Ground, where Hughes’ fatal injury occurred, has lowered its flag to half-mast. Flags will also be lowered over all NSW government buildings tomorrow.
Hughes’ Australian teammate Steve Smith, who spent time visiting him in hospital before he passed, wrote this touching tribute: ‘Rest in peace Hughesy. I am really going to miss you. You were 1 of the great blokes and I will never forget you. #408 will live on forever.’
Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar tweeted: ‘Shocked to hear about Phil. Sad day for cricket. Deepest condolences to family, friends and well wishers. RIP #PhilipHughes’
Shane Warne wrote: ‘Woken to the horrific news about Hughesy ! I cannot describe the sadness I feel for the Hughes family & fellow cricket players, so so sad.
‘Just an absolute tragedy that Hughesy is no longer with us. He was such an awesome young man, RIP buddy, shattered…’
Former England all-rounder Ian Botham said: ‘A very sad day for the world of cricket. So sorry for Phillip Hughes and his family . Spare a thought for Sean Abbott.’
Former Australian captain Adam Gilchrist wrote on Twitter: ‘No no no no no. RIP Phillip Hughes’.
Glenn McGarth said: ‘Such terrible news with the passing of Phil Hughes. Our deepest sympathies to his family.
Australian cricket coach Darren Lehman tweeted: ‘RIP you little champ, we are all going to miss you ! Love, prayers to all the Hughes family xxxx’
‘Our deepest sympathies go out to Phil Hughes’ family, friends and teammates at this incredibly sad time,’ the England team said in a statement.
‘Phil was admired and respected by all he played with and against and will never be forgotten by the cricket community.’
Earlier on Thursday, Hughes’s friend Alan Jones revealed he was on an assisted breathing machine.
The radio presenter, who had spoken to the 25-year-old earlier this week, said the situation was ‘much more serious than anyone imagined’.
‘I think I should say to you that Phillip is fighting for his life but this is very serious,’ Mr Jones said.
‘What happened is the blow from the cricket ball damaged… a main artery in the back of his head. That caused bleeding over the skull and has prevented blood from going to the brain.
‘As I’m advised, the neurology is very very bad and in language the layman understands, the brain is very sick.
‘So this is much more serious than anyone imagined. And I say that, as I said, with a deep sense of melancholy. It’s a hell of a fight to recover. ‘
Today’s tragic news came after Australian cricket icons past and present joined together on Thursday to support the injured batsman and comfort each other.
Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, former skipper Ricky Ponting, Australia coach Darren Lehmann and players Brad Haddin, Dave Warner and Aaron Finch were among those who have visited Hughes and his family Thursday morning.
Also on Thursday, NSW Health Minister Jillian Skinner called a meeting with the NSW Ambulance Commissioner on to address concerns over the delay in the arrival of an ambulance to treat Hughes.
Former Australian captain Ponting, the skipper when Hughes earned his first Test cap, arrived at St Vincent’s shortly after lunch on Thursday flanked by pace bowler Peter Siddle.
Ponting, now retired, and Siddle – a current member of the side due to play against India next Thursday – cut a quiet figure.
Legendary Australia captain Steve Waugh was the next cricketing icon to appear at the hospital to show support for Hughes and his family.
Waugh, 49, was warmly welcomed at the hospital entrance by Aaron Finch, David Warner and Tom Cooper, who was batting along with Hughes when the freak accident happened on Tuesday.
Boxer Anthony Mundine, who has been a close friend of Hughes for years, was also seen outside the hospital on Thursday, having been by his bedside since Wednesday morning.
At lunch time on Thursday the area beside St Vincent’s coffee shop was a placed filled with emotional hugs and embraces as Hughes’ teammates and their wives and girlfriends comforted each other.
Players from the Australia squad such as Haddin, Warner, Steve Smith and Nathan Lyons mingled with Hughes’ teammates from the South Australia team as they tried to come to terms with the tragedy.
Players were gathered here by Team Australia’s general manager, Pat Howard, before being brought up in a group to visit their stricken teammate and his family at his bedside.
Michael Clarke was the first of Hughes’ teammates to arrive at St Vincent’s Hospital in inner-city Darlinghurst.
Wearing sunglasses, a checked shirt and baseball cap, Clarke made his way quietly into the hospital at 6.20am on Thursday morning.
At 8am Clarke was joined by former Australian opening batsman, Justin Langer, and former Wallaby player and now General Manager of Team Performance for the Australian cricket team, Pat Howard.
The three sat in the hospital cafe drinking coffee. Earlier in the week Langer had said he was ‘too upset to talk’ about Hughes, and for the most part sat grim-faced at the table, while Howard tried hard to keep everyone’s spirits up.
Matthew Wade, Aaron Finch, Nathan Lyon and Steve Smith were also seen arriving at the hospital.
Coach Darren Lehmann struck a sombre figure as he walked from St Vincent’s Hospital after spending over an hour with Hughes’ family and teammates.
He left with Finch, who looked similarly downcast.
Twenty minutes earlier Finch was outside the hospital entrance when Australian vice-captain Brad Haddin arrived.
Both players warmly embraced before going into the hospital, showing clearly how the tragedy has brought the Australian players even closer together.
Creditt to dailymail uk
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