Jason Hughes, the older brother of the late Phillip Hughes, has made an emotional return to grade cricket, scoring 63 -- the exact score his sibling was on when he was fatally struck by a bouncer.
Jason, 27, batted for Mosman's first-grade team against Sydney at Drummoyne Oval yesterday and was dismissed on 63.
He apparently did not know the score he was on when he fell to the bowling of Nathan Sowter, the Australian AAP news agency reported.
The elder Hughes was reportedly emotional while walking out to bat for the first time since Phillip died on November 27, and also when he reached 50.
Jason was encouraged by his little brother to move to Sydney to play cricket and pursue a career.
He plays first division for Mosman and had been absent from the first innings after his brother's funeral, but was picked in the team so he could bat today.
Phillip's close friend Dan Smith made 127 for Sydney in the first innings of the grade game at Drummoyne Oval, which ended in a draw.
Jason recalled at the funeral how he had to encourage his reluctant little brother to join his side when they were short one day. Phillip scored 25 and fell in love with the game immediately.
Hughes died after a Sean Abbott bouncer hit him on the back of the head at the Sydney Cricket Ground during a Sheffield Shield match.
In the weekend after Hughes passed away, a number of tributes were paid to him like cricketers observed a 63-second silence before their games, juniors who normally have to retire on 50 were allowed to bat on until they reached 63, one young cricketer retired on 37 and "donated" the runs to Hughes so his last innings reached 100 among other tributes.
Image: Jason Hughes
Photograph: Cameron Spencer - Pool/Getty Images
