AUSTRALIA PAY TRIBUTE TO PHIL HUGHES
MELBOURNE : The Australian team on Monday paid tribute to former opener Phillip Hughes on his third death anniversary. Remembering their former teammate, the Australian players wore black armbands on the final day of the opening Ashes Test. Opener David Warner looked up to the sky after he reached 63 not out, which was also Hughes’s score when he was tragically hit on the head while batting in a Sheffield Shield game in 2014, during Australia’s second innings in Brisbane. Australia cricketers took to their social media handles to pay tribute to Hughes. Righthand batsman Glenn Maxwell, who has recently smashed 278 at a strike rate of 87.42 in Sheffield Shield game, tweeted “Big day for @CricketAus to go 1-0 up in the Ashes, 3 years on after Phil passed away. Always in our hearts and minds Hughesy. #RIP #408”. Former fast bowler Mitchell Johnson, who had also played alongside Hughes for the national cricket team, posted “Miss you bro 408 always with us” on Twitter. “3 years have passed and I’m still missing you bro #408,” said captain Steve Smith on the social networking website. Hughes was struck on the back of the neck by a bouncer while batting for the West End Redbacks in a Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 25, 2014. Two days later, the 25-year-old South Australian batsman died in the hospital as a result of a traumatic basal subarachnoid haemorrhage caused by the blow.