QUEENSLAND and New South Wales cricketers will put their bats out for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes at the annual Catholic Super Bowl, an organiser has confirmed.
Catholic Super Bowl organiser Anthony McCarthy confirmed that both the NSW and Queensland team would pay tribute to the late Mr Hughes ahead of their friendly game on December 13 in Brisbane
Players will be asked to line up their cricket bats in honour of Mr Hughes who died tragically on November 27 after he was hit by a bouncer while playing a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground on November 25.
The teams will also honour the 408-cap bearer and his family with a minute’s silence.
Organisers have also changed the retirement score from 100 to 63, Mr Hughes final score before being struck by a bouncer that claimed his life.
Organisers have yet to confirm the venue for the third annual game.
Phillip Hughes tragic death on November 27 stunned cricket lovers worldwide, and was reported by an ABC cricket commentator as “one of the worst days in Australian sport”.
He sustained traumatic brain injuries from a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground on November 25.
The 25-year-old, who would turn 26 the following Sunday, underwent brain surgery and was put in an induced coma in Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital but never regained consciousness.
Thousands remembered Phillip Hughes at an emotional Catholic funeral service in his hometown Macksville, NSW today.
There were few dry eyes as family, friends, the young cricketer’s teammates and Australian politicians remembered the short life of one of Australia’s newest sporting greats.
Funeral celebrant Catholic priest Fr Michael Alcock of Nambucca Heads led a beautiful ceremony, describing the young cricketer as a “shining light”.
Catholics worldwide have also been moved by the devastating death, including Church members at the Vatican.
Australia’s Holy See ambassador John McCarthy confirmed a Mass for Mr Hughes and his family in the chapel of the Venerable English College at 6pm on December 2.
The Vatican’s first official cricket team, St Peter’s Cricket Club, attended the Mass along with the team’s supporters and representatives from the Pontifical Council for Culture.
English priest working at the Pontifical Council for Christian Unity and St Peter’s captain Fr Anthony Currer con-celebrated the Mass with committee member and Australian Columban Father Robert McCulloch, and team manager Fr Eamonn O’Higgins.
Cardinal Giafranco Ravasi president of the Pontifical Council for Culture joined the social media #putyourbatsout tribute posting a row of bats topped with the Vatican cricket team’s caps less than two days ago.
Australia’s Catholic community also offered condolences to the Hughes family through prayer.
During a biannual plenary meeting in Sydney, the Australian Catholic Bishops prayed before St Mary of the Cross MacKillop’s tomb the day Mr Hughes died.
“The death of Phillip Hughes, a talented 25-year-old cricketer, reminds us that life is at once precious and fragile,” a statement said.
The Bishops also prayed for NSW paceman Sean Abbott who delivered the bouncer that injured Mr Hughes.
