THE loss of cricketer Phillip Hughes has been felt throughout the Australian community, and has been especially shocking to those on the young man's home of the Mid-North Coast.
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Port Macquarie's cricket fraternity was yesterday left reeling by Hughes' death, and tributes flowed on one of the sport's darkest days.
His 26th birthday was to be celebrated on Sunday.
He should have been preparing to play in his 27th Test Hughes was widely tipped to replace Michael Clarke next week against India at the Gabba but instead he suffered a blow to the neck in a Sheffield Shield match on Tuesday.
The former Macksville player's life support was turned off yesterday after he suffered bleeding on the brain.
Port City Leagues Magpie Dave Bolster played North Coast Colts with Hughes. He said Hughes stood out above the rest, and was destined for big things.
"He was always a better cricketer than anyone else," Bolster said.
Hastings River District Cricket Association president Shane Williams said it was a "tragic loss to Australian cricket".
"Our thoughts are with the family," he said.
Like many others associated with the game, Williams felt for Sean Abbott the man who bowled the bouncer which struck Hughes.
There have already been calls to ban the delivery in the wake of the incident. Williams questioned whether that was the right move for the game.
"It was a freak accident, and I'm really confident Phil Hughes and Sean Abbott wouldn't want it to change the way the game is played," he said.
"They would want the game they love played in a competitive manner."
Macquarie Hotel captain Michael Pelley was left devastated by the news.
"This just doesn't happen in our sport," he said. "With all the protective gear we wear, it just doesn't seem as real as the other contact sports.
"It hits home pretty hard. It's very distressing to see something like that."
