Western Suburbs District Cricket Club tribute to Phillip Hughes - Magpie player 616
Western Suburbs District Cricket Club Sydney | November 27, 2024
Renowned batting coach and Wests first grader of the 1990s, Neil D’Costa (Wests #545), brought Phillip Hughes to Sydney for the last match of the 2005-2006 season, to see if the 17 year old from Macksville on the far north coast of NSW could adjust to city life.
Phillip was enrolled at Homebush Boys High where Ian Paterson was Principal. Ian’s son David was to become a Magpie first grader (#663) in 2013.
Hughes arrived to play the last game of the 2005-06 season in Seconds, versus St. George at Pratten Park, instantly indicating that he could adjust to cricket in the ‘big smoke’, in the process impressing with his distinctive attacking flair and a score of 141 not out.
Phillip found himself rubbing shoulders with the likes of future Australian Test Captain, Michael John Clarke (Wests #572), fellow rookie Mitchell Starc (#620), future sporting journalist Adam Pengilly, Dan Smith, Grant Roden, first grade captain Col Barry and the veteran Peter Burkhart, Western Suburbs greatest run scorer.
Hughes debuted in first grade at Manly oval on September 23rd., 2006, scoring 70 and contributing to a 103 run opening partnership with Michael Robert Clarke (#586). The WSDCC annual report said that Phillip Hughes took to Sydney cricket “like a duck to water”, managing to make NSW and Australia Under 19’s rep. sides along the way. Those representative commitments cut into Phil’s debut Poidevin Gray season, where could only play five times, yet managed 377 runs at an average of 94.25.
In 52 first grade matches for the Magpies, he scored 1,869 runs at 39.93, with a highest score of 147.
In 26 Tests, Hughes scored 1,535 runs at 32.66, with a top score of 160. His highest score in 25 ODIs was 138 not out and an average of 35.91. Phil Hughes played 114 first class games, compiling 9,023 runs at an average of 46.51, with his highest score being 243 not out.
Certainly, impressive statistics all round, yet we never got to see the best of the young boy from Macksville, who never lost his love of his hometown and country life among his cattle.
November 27th. 2024 is the tenth anniversary of Phillip Joel Hughes’ last innings at the SCG, forever 63 not out.
