ESPERANCE'S cricket community has paid tribute to the late Australian batsman Phillip Hughes.
Hughes died last week, two days after he was struck on the head by a cricket ball while batting at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). The freak sporting accident has shocked the world with tributes flowing in from sporting heroes in many codes, celebrities, cricket fans and members of the public throughout Australia and beyond.
In Esperance, the cricket community rallied together to pay tribute and remember the Australian sportsman with local players in all grades marking the tragic loss.
Shire of Esperance club development officer Shane Tobin said the under 16s usually retired at 50 but they changed the rule to 63 not out at the weekend while the seniors had a minute of silence to remember Hughes. Black arm bands were also worn by local cricket players on Saturday in Hughes' memory.
Mr Tobin said Hughes' death had not only rattled the Esperance cricket community, but the local community as a whole.
"I've seen bats in windows and out the front against the fence," Mr Tobin said.
He said the incident had impacted so many people because of the circumstances surrounding Hughes' death.
Mr Tobin said people were particularly shocked because his death was caused by an accident which happened during a "normal game of sport".
"In all the years I've played I've never had anything like it," he said.
"Quite often someone is hit in the head but nothing more than broken bones at the worst.
"He must have been a ripper fellow because it brought everyone a lot closer together."
Hughes' death has not deterred Mr Tobin or Newtown Cricket Club player Daniel Styles from continuing to play the game.
"He was a great cricketer and played a few tests for Australia and everyone was very sad that he died," Mr Styles said.
"It definitely doesn't put me off playing cricket it was just really unlucky where he got hit.
"The cricketing community advocated wearing arm bands."
Mr Tobin said there was a strong safety focus among the Esperance cricket community. He said junior players were taught early on about the importance of helmets and were quickly put into the habit of wearing them.
"They build it from the young kids to wear them all the time, young kids have to wear one in under 13 and under 16 and the wicket keeper has to wear one.
"In the seniors you don't have to wear one but it's in your interest to wear one.
"You never see international cricketers walking out without a helmet."
Meanwhile, Mr Tobin expected a change to be made to helmet regulations to ensure maximum protection.
"You can't ignore it, it's only an inch or so that they have to bring it down.
"I think what happened with helmets is they have had a standard helmet and it [has] been streamlined a little bit over the years to be a little bit cooler looking and practical, so I think it will come down and be a bit more protective," he said.
Did you honour the life of Phillip Hughes? Do you think there needs to be a crackdown on helmets in both senior and junior grades? Let us know. Comment below or email molly.baxter@fairfaxmedia.com.au
