Philip Hughes paid tribute by Cricket Australia five years after his death

Cricket Australia paid tribute to Phillip Hughes on eve of five-year anniversary of his death after he was felled by a short-pitched delivery in a domestic first-class match. Hughes died at of 25 after being struck by a bouncer while batting for South Australia in a Sheffield Shield match on v. 25, 2014 against New South Wales at Sydney Cricket Ground. He was wearing a helmet, but ball struck an unprotected area just below his left ear. Hughes sustained a brain hemorrh and died two days later without regaining consciousness at a nearby hospital.

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"re hasn't been a single day over se last five years when Phillip's loss hasn't been felt acutely by Australian cricket family, Cricket Australia chief executive Kevin Roberts said Tuesday.

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Hughes had played 25 test matches for Australia and 24 one-day internationals. He also spent several years playing county cricket in England. Cricket Australia hopes to enforce use of neck protectors to avoid a repeat of what happened to Hughes. Test batsman and former Australia captain Steve Smith was initially reluctant to wear neck guard, saying it felt like he was restricted as if inside an MRI machine. But after hitting 211 in one inning of recent Ashes series while wearing guard, Smith said he had changed his mind and would likely wear one in future. Cricket Australia hopes use of neck guard will eventually be made mandatory. 

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