adminAustralia’s cricket captain Michael Clarke broke into tears and declared “we must play on” while delivering a solemn eulogy at the hometown funeral of Phillip Hughes, the batsman who died after being struck in the head.At a school hall packed with mourners and international cricketers in the small town of Macksville, Clarke, who regarded Hughes as something of a younger brother, said the tragic loss had both devastated and united the cricketing world. Struggling to maintain composure, with Hughes’s Kookaburra cricket bat resting against the coffin only feet away, Clarke said his former team-mate had enriched “not just our sport but all of our lives”.
“I don’t know about you, but I keep looking for him… his spirit is still with me and I hope it never leaves,” he said. “From the little girl in Karachi holding a candlelight tribute to masters of the game like [Sachin] Tendulkar, [Shane] Warne and [Brian] Lara showing their grief to the world, the spirit of cricket binds us all together … So rest in peace my little brother. I’ll see you out in the middle.”
The funeral service for the 25-year-old was attended by thousands of people and brought the town — and much of the nation — to a standstill. Services were also held at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Hughes, the son of a banana farmer, was struck during a game last week, as well as at cities around the country.
Following the Macksville service, the Australian cricket team was joined by Tony Abbott, Australia’s PM, and hundreds of former cricketers — including Warne and Lara — for a silent guard of honour as a hearse drove the coffin from Macksville High School, which Hughes attended. Thousands of people lined the streets to pay their respects. — Telegraph
Online Reporter