'What I remember most is he loved cricket'
Former New South Wales and Australia pace bowler Stuart Clark says the death of Phil Hughes is “surreal” and fondly remembers the quiet kid from Macksville with the “great big smile” who blew them all away with his run-scoring prowess after arriving in the big smoke.
Hughes, 25, died on Thursday afternoon, two days after being struck on the head by a bouncer while batting for South Australia against New South Wales during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Hughes underwent surgery to relieve swelling on the brain but his condition did not improve in the ensuing 48 hours after being placed in an induced coma at St Vincent’s hospital in Sydney.
“I think we all feared the worst when we saw the footage and heard the reports that were coming from the doctor,” Clark, who now works as a cricket commentator and analyst for Fox Sports, said.
“I don’t know a lot about brain injuries but the reports weren’t great and the consequences are so tragic and surreal.”
Clark, whose 24-Test career was ending just as Hughes’ was beginning, said Hughes made an immediate impression both with and without bat-in-hand.
“He had a great big cut shot and could hit the ball to all parts,” he said.
“He could hit a ball off leg stump through point at a million miles per hour. He had a great big smile, but what I remember most about him was that he loved cricket. He was a cricket tragic; it didn’t matter when, where, how or against who, he loved batting.”
Clark vividly recalls the “little fella” with the aggressive battling style that belied both his physical stature and off-field demeanor after making his debut for the Blues in 2007.
“He came down and got mountains of runs in grade cricket and then they (NSW) picked him,” he said. “I always found him to be quiet. He would sit in the corner and not say a lot and then he’d just talk when he needed to.”
“But I just remember this great big smile on his face the whole time. He wasn’t boisterous or impatient in anyway, he knew his place in the team and he was so honoured to be playing cricket for New South Wales.”
Hughes went on to play 26 Tests for Australia after being handed the Baggy Green in 2009, scoring three centuries and seven 50s. Clark said he spent plenty of time with the talented left-hander on that first Ashes tour.
“We went on the 2009 Ashes tour together and both spent a lot of time on the sidelines,” he laughed. “When NSW won the Champions League in 2009 in India I bowled the ball and he took the catch that won it … there are just so many memories and all different, all very special moments. The 2008 [Sheffield] Shield final is another one, where he scored a great hundred.”
The former Australia quick says that while now isn’t the time to be worrying about Test schedules and the upcoming Test against India next week, a decision will need to be made soon.
“I can probably see both sides of the argument,” he said. “
I can understand why they want to have it abandoned because I don’t know how the players are going to play; how they’re going to handle it. I appreciate there are issues with logistics and while there are two sides to this issue, my primary concern is that the players have to be in the right mind to play this game and if they’re not, we should be considering other alternatives.”
