People around the world have put their cricket bats out in tribute to late cricketer Phillip Hughes, who died in hospital on Thursday after being hit by a bouncer.
Paul Taylor, an IT worker from Sydney, put out a cricket bat and cap on Thursday afternoon and posted a photo to the 702 ABC Sydney Facebook page.
Less than a day later, hundreds of people around the world had followed his lead and put their bats out in tribute.
Australian cricketing greats joined the fans across the world in embracing the Twitter hashtag “#PutOutYourBats:†to express their grief at Phillip Hughes’ death.
Taylor said the gesture was a way for cricketers to pay their respects to Hughes.
“We’ve all played cricket in one way or another,” he said on his Twitter account.
“Backyard or beach cricket, no matter what level, we’ve all grown up with a bat and ball.
“This is our way to connect and show our sadness. Thoughts must go to [the bowler] Sean Abbott.”
Internet giant Google joined the chorus of those paying tribute to Hughes.
Google Australia uploaded a simple image of a small bat with a green handle leaning against a wall on its homepage.
On Twitter, former Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist posted a touching image of his kids’ miniature bats lined up on the front gate, the caption simply reading: “From the Gilly kids xxxx”.
Fellow former player Dean Jones put up his 1989 Ashes bat, while Tom Moody laid out a trio of bats in his commemoration.
“A life taken far too soon,” Moody tweeted.
At the SCG, a number of bats could also be seen on Friday morning resting against the members’ entrance in between bouquets of flowers.
“RIP Hughes. The world will be a lesser place without you,” one was inscribed.
Cricketers in Sri Lanka, England, India and Pakistan observed moments of silence.
In Karachi, Pakistan, fans lit candles, while the second day of the final Test between Pakistan and New Zealand in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, was suspended.
A message on the scoreboard read, “Sharjah Cricket deeply mourns the untimely demise of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes.”
Other popular hashtags paying tribute to the much-loved cricketer were #63notout, #RIPPhilHughes and #PhilHughes.