WACA's public tribute to Hughes
The WACA Ground will open to the public tomorrow for a live broadcast of Phillip Hughes' funeral from his home town of Macksville in New South Wales.
The heart of WA cricket will beat in unison with the Sydney Cricket Ground, Adelaide and Bellerive ovals when the service starts on the big screen at 11am.
A contingent of Western Warriors players will be at the ground while others are flying to Macksville to grieve with their teammates and friends.
WACA chief executive Christina Matthews said everyone dealt with loss in their own way, but she wanted to give West Australians the chance to mourn together. "When it was announced that he had passed away, there was just a silence across the whole organisation, we couldn't believe it," she said.
"We originally talked about this as something for our players and staff, but we decided to open it up to the public. If people want to bring a blanket and sit on the oval itself, they're able to do that.
"It's about celebrating the life of someone who died on a cricket field, so we think that makes sense."
Ms Matthews said the cricket community had been humbled by the outpouring of grief after Hughes' death just three days before his 26th birthday.
Extra pages had been added to the WACA's condolence book and the tributes outside the ground continued to grow. "I think it's because what happened is basically unprecedented," Ms Matthews said.
"He was a prodigious talent killed in the process of doing what he loves in a sport where people never contemplate dying.
"I think it's a coming together of all of those aspects that has people going 'Oh, no'."
The eyes of supporters worldwide will focus on Macksville tomorrow, as about 5000 mourners descend on the small coastal town 500km north of Sydney.
Australian captain Michael Clarke arrived in Macksville yesterday.
Qantas and Virgin Australia have scheduled extra flights and arranged bigger planes to transport more people to nearby Coffs Harbour.
Members of the public can enter the WACA Ground through Gate 2 from 10.15am.
