“So rest in peace my little brother. I’ll see you out in the middle.”
Australian captain Michael Clarke delivered a tearful eulogy at the funeral of cricketer Phillip Hughes on Wednesday.
Hughes, 25, died last week after being struck by a ball during a state match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
Clarke, who was one of the pallbearers at the funeral service, said Hughes' soul "enriched not just our sport, but all of our lives".
"Is this what indigenous Australians believe about a person's spirit being connected with the land upon which they walk?" he asked during the service.
"If so, I know they are right about the SCG. His spirit has touched it and it will be forever be a sacred ground for me."
Reuters
The BBC reported that around 5,000 people attended Hughes' funeral service in his hometown of Macksville, New South Wales.
Members of the current Australian cricket team, plus legends of the game from around the world, joined prominent officials such as prime minister Tony Abbott at the service.
Pool / Reuters