TRENT Bridge was lit up by Phil Hughes once again as Nottinghamshire paid tribute to the Australian cricketer who died after being hit on the head by a ball 16 months after playing 'one of the great innings in an Ashes series' in Nottingham.
Two images – one of Hughes walking out of the pavilion and another of him stood shoulder to shoulder with England's Jimmy Anderson – were beamed from the two giant scoreboards at Trent Bridge.
And Notts director of cricket Mick Newell remembered 'a very exciting, dashing opening batsman', who he pondered signing once or twice, but who has tragically died at the age of 25, after being struck on the head by a bouncer while batting for South Australia against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
There were grey clouds over Trent Bridge on an even darker day for cricket, but Hughes will always be remembered for shining on a far brighter day on the same stage for Australia in the first Ashes Test of last year, in July 2013, when he struck an unbeaten 81 in a record-breaking last-wicket partnership of 151 with Ashton Agar.
"He played one of the great innings in an Ashes series when he put on those runs with Ashton Agar, which gave everybody such a great afternoon here at Trent Bridge," said Newell, reliving the unforgettable afternoon at Trent Bridge.
"Everybody who's in cricket will feel stunned that somebody could lose their life playing cricket – it just doesn't seem to make any real sense."
While Newell never met Hughes, who played in 26 Tests for Australia and played for Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcestershire in the English County Championship in his career, Nottinghamshire's Alex Hales was an opening batsman with him for Adelaide Strikers and Michael Lumb played with him for Hampshire.
Newell had not spoken to Hales because he is on international duty with England in Sri Lanka as they build-up to the World Cup, but said Lumb was upset.
"It's always going to hit you a lot harder if you know the person," said Newell.
"There will be a number of players, in Australia particularly but also around the world, who will be very upset.
"Michael played with him and was upset about it, which is understandable."
Hales, meanwhile, expressed his shock on Twitter.
"Horrified to hear about Phil Hughes... Champion of a guy, loved my experience playing for Adelaide alongside him #rip," he wrote.
Hughes was wearing a protective helmet when he was hit by a ball on the back, lower left side of his head from pace bowler Sean Abbott as he attempted a pull shot.
He was given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and oxygen on the boundary line after being carried off the pitch on a stretcher.
He was taken to Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital, where he underwent surgery and was being monitored in the intensive care unit before passing away.
"You don't expect to hear of somebody dying playing cricket," said Newell.
"Yes, people get injured, yes people face aggressive fast bowling, but this has taken everybody by surprise."
Hughes' death has opened up a debate on safety in cricket, but Newell does not envisage it sparking any major rule changes.
"We've had aggressive fast bowling for a long time in cricket and I don't see that particularly changing," he said.
"From what I have read and been told the freakish nature of this injury is probably not likely to have a long-term impact on changing the rules and the way the game is played."
"I don't think there will be a whole raft of rule changes," added Newell.
"I think there will be a lot of people very, very sad about what has happened.
"There are a number of us here who never met the guy, but still feel very sad that he passed away playing the game we love.
"I don't see any massive knee-jerk reaction in terms of rule changes, but people will look at their own game and decide if they need to adapt it."
Newell also hopes people are not put off playing the sport in the wake of the tragedy.
"I could understand it to some extent, but I hope not," he said.
"People will get hit on the head batting – a lot of our players have been hit on the head and the helmets do a great job in protecting and saving them.
"Very sadly in this case that didn't happen."
