Cricket fans have paid tribute to the late Test batsman Phillip Hughes on the first anniversary of his death.
The 25-year-old cricketer was struck on the head by a short delivery while playing for South Australia against New South Wales during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 25 November last year.
He died in hospital two days later.
The hashtag #63notout, referring to Hughes’s score when the accident occurred, was trending in Australia on Friday as fans remembered his legacy before cricket’s first day-night Test.
Still cut up that Hughes is no longer with us. #63notout
— Moretti (@BMorettib) November 24, 2015
Has it really been a year since the Phillip Hughes ball? Tempus fugit, yet never forgotten #63notout
— Joel Heritage (@joalhe1997) November 25, 2015
Can't help thinking about Phil Hughes' family & friends tonight. For the next few days, they're going to re-live the nightmare. #63NotOut
— Dan Ranson (@danranson_) November 25, 2015
It was a year ago today Phil Hughes was so tragically hit by the cricket ball. Gone but never forgotten #63notout
— Ashley (@AshleyElliott5) November 25, 2015
It's unimaginable to think that it has already been a year since Phil Hughes death. #63notout
— Effie Caloutas (@EffieCaloutas) November 25, 2015
This time last year, cricket changed forever #63notout
— Victor Yong (@BigVicTIA) November 25, 2015
The saddest and most tragic moment in Australian sport occurred 1 year ago today at the SCG. #63NotOut
— Sir Booze Hound (@Booze__Hound) November 24, 2015
One year on. Forever #63notout. Thoughts with Phillip Hughes, the Hughes family & Sean Abbott.
— Joshua Kay (@js_kay) November 25, 2015
One year on, we'll never forget Hughesy #63NotOut #PutYourBatsOut pic.twitter.com/69rtrlf0xS
— Will (@WillJM_86) November 24, 2015
The third Test – the first to use a pink ball – starts in Adelaide on Friday on the anniversary, but at the request of Hughes’s family commemorations will be low-key.
Both sides will wear black armbands, as will players contesting three Sheffield Shield games around Australiathat also start on the same day.
A tribute package will be screened at 4.08pm referring to Hughes’s Test cap number, 408.
Michael Clarke, the former Australia captain who made an emotional speech at Hughes’s funeral, wrote in Sydney’s Daily Telegraph, “I think about Hughesy and miss him every day.”
Wish you were here #408 https://t.co/Vsw8Qmy4in
— Michael Clarke (@MClarke23) November 26, 2015
At the time of Hughes’s death Cricket Australia adjusted the official scorecard from his final match so that he would not be remembered as “retired hurt”.
“It might seem like a little thing, but it’s an important distinction,” said its chief executive, James Sutherland. “Phillip will forever remain 63 not out.”
In December last year CA trademarked the term “63 not out” to stop people profiting from Hughes’ death, a purely “defensive” agreement secured in conjunction with the late cricketer’s management “to prevent others trying to exploit Phillip’s memory”, a CA spokesperson told CNN at the time.
The #63notout hashtag trending on Friday appears to have caught on organically, without involvement from CA.
It has been used to remember Hughes irregularly over the past 12 months, though confusingly it was being used as recently in September to refer to Queen Elizabeth’s 63 years on the throne.
At the time of Hughes’s fatal injury last year, he was remembered with the hashtag #PutOutYourBats, where fans around the world shared photos of their cricket bats at their doors.
#PutOutYourBats had something of a resurgence on Friday but did not trend.
One year on. Never forget. Rest in Peace, Phillip Hughes #63notout #PutOutYourBats pic.twitter.com/RJNFVjOFRr
— Caden Helmers (@cadenhelmers) November 26, 2015
Twelve Months Have Passed & It Still Hasn't Sunk In #RIPPhillipHughes #putoutyourbats pic.twitter.com/5tbQ7KYlNI
— AF (@ARF181) November 26, 2015
12 months ago the #putoutyourbats campaign began to remember a 25 year old who died doing what he loved #rememberph… pic.twitter.com/dXeLs2554B
— Adam Mountford (@tmsproducer) November 26, 2015
Hugh Muir wrote after Hughes’s death that the #PutOutYourBats campaign was “one of those occasions when social media allows people around the world to make a small gesture”.
One year on from that terrible day that Phil Hughes was hit by a cricket ball. #63notout pic.twitter.com/ER5iSY9nrE
— Propster (@Propster1) November 25, 2015
