Touching tribute to Hughes, batsman sacrifices record at 63 overs

A batsman in a club match in Victoria has paid a touching tribute to Phillip Hughes by deciding to sacrifice breaking a long-standing record.

According to a report in The Courier Mail, Shaun McArthur, captain of Ballarat club side Haddon, was batting on 220 and was blazing his way to the club's all-time batting record in a match against local rivals VRI Delacombe, but decided to retire after glancing at the scoreboard. His teammates were stunned by his decision but realised their skipper's move when they looked at the scoreboard.

Haddon was on 408, which was Hughes' Test number for Australia, and there had been 63 overs bowled. Hughes was batting on 63 when he was fatally struck by a Sean Abbott bouncer.

After that '63 not out' has become a preferred way to pay tribute to Hughes as junior club cricketers across Australia were encouraged to retire on 63.

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"Everyone walked up and shook his hand," Haddon club spokesman Vincent McDonald told The Courier.

"It was a chance innings. You can't plan to have scores like this 220 runs for a player and 408 (total) in the standard of cricket we play.

"Shaun must've just noticed the score and thought, 'That'll do'."

Reuters