By Andy Wilson
As shock and numbness spread through the world of cricket following the tragic loss of Phillip Hughes, the devastation at Middlesex, Hampshire and Worcestershire was particularly acute.
Hughes spent time with all three counties and became a highly popular character, and an equally respected cricketer, in all their dressing rooms.
Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: “He will long be remembered for his run-making ability but in the dressing rooms where he padded up.
“We will all remember the quiet team man sat in the corner with a cheeky smile who was Hughesie.
"You forget he was a really young bloke (23) when he came to us and in some ways an immature dressing room – in terms of their ages – were excited by such a gifted Test cricketer coming to join us.
“They weren't sure how he was going to be - and when he came he was very much a down to earth country boy who just wanted to get on and play cricket.
“He went down so well with the team and everyone. There was no 'I'm a Test cricketer' about him. He was just a colleague in the team.
"The place itself was not a big city, which suited him. He preferred the country life, and the overall ambience and nature of Worcestershire is what appealed to him.
“He was very well liked because he didn't have a bad word to say about anyone and had a cheeky sort of personality, very happy and very smiley and was a real popular member of the side. He was popular with everyone. Moeen (Ali) and him got on really well - you couldn't fail to get on with him.
"He was a good role model, a good professional and in many ways that easygoing country boy, farming type who sat in a corner and got on with his job which was scoring runs."
Hughes developed his idiosyncratic batting style, heavily favouring the off side, because of the unusual layout of the pitch on the family farm in Macksville in the New South Wales interior, and loved nothing better than returning there – the cattle herd were branded as 408 Angus, bearing the same number as Hughes’s beloved baggy green cap.
Alan Richardson, the former Worcestershire stalwart who is now coaching at Warwickshire, provided a player’s viewpoint with this tweet.
Can't get my head round what I've woken up to. An absolute legend who will be sorely missed. Honoured to call Phil a team mate #onyamate
— Alan Richardson (@alricho21) November 27, 2014
Worcestershire were the last of his three counties, and he spent the longest time with them, scoring 560 runs in nine first-class appearances in the 2012 season – carrying his bat for an unbeaten 135 out of 246 all out in his farewell appearance against Warwickshire at Edgbaston – a remarkable innings in the context of a low-scoring match.
His arrival into county cricket had been equally spectacular, as he scored a century in each of three championship appearances for Middlesex in the spring of 2009.
There was some controversy about his arrival at Lord’s, with Middlesex criticised in some quarters for allowing this relatively raw 20-year-old – who had just become the youngest player in 132 years of Test cricket to score a century in each innings – to gain experience of English conditions ahead of the Ashes series later that summer. How trivial that seems now, in the current tragic context.
Nick Compton, who was then a Middlesex team-mate, provided a poignant insight into the impact he made at Lord’s, tweeting:
Cuz I miss you so much, never has someone had such an impact on my life, my career, my outlook. devastated and upset. Love you bro #RIPPhil
— Nick Compton (@thecompdog) November 27, 2014
Hughes scored 118 in his first innings for Middlesex against Glamorgan at Lord’s, followed up with 65 not out in the second innings, then added 139 in their next match against Leicestershire at Southgate – when he shared a second-wicket partnership of 244 with Andrew Strauss, who he would face in Ashes combat later in the summer, and Eoin Morgan also scored a century.
Hughes went even better in the last of those three appearances, cracking 195 from 248 balls against Surrey at the Kia Oval, with 28 fours, before joining up with Australia’s squad for the first of his two Ashes tours.
The following summer he joined Hampshire, whose chairman Rod Bransgrove said: "I cannot begin to comprehend the loss of a talented and lovely lad. You are part of our family. Rest in peace buddy.”
Middlesex cancelled training for two days, the flags at Lord’s were lowered to half mast in his memory, and the club issued the following statement: “The thoughts and love of everyone at the club goes out to Phil’s family and friends during this terrible time.
“Phil was a bright, talented and fun young man, who made a huge impression on the club during his brief stay here at Lord’s. Middlesex CCC is proud that he represented the club.”
MCC president David Morgan, who watched Hughes' Test debut in South Africa, said: “I well remember his first series in South Africa. Phillip was a fine cricketer and one who we will tragically never have the chance to see batting again here at the home of cricket.”