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London: Flags are flying at half mast at Lord's in tribute to Phillip Hughes and his former English teammates have remembered him as a "cheeky chappie" and "top man".
Hughes, 25, died on Thursday, two days after he was hit on the neck by a bouncer.
A huge media contingent gathered at Wallabies training in London as news broke of Hughes' passing, with the tenacious left-hander loved by the clubs he played for in England.
The Wallabies were hit hard too with Hughes meeting the players earlier this year in Queensland for a cross-sport promotion.
Hughes was photographed with Israel Folau, Matt Toomua and Nic White and the team will pay respect to Hughes before its clash against England this weekend.
Hughes' most recent stint was with Worcestershire in 2012. Captain Daryl Mitchell said Hughes made a huge impression on and off the field.
"Phil was a top man and will be very sadly missed," Mitchell said.
"Cricket-wise he was fantastic for us … he carried us through to the quarter finals really with the runs he got in that competition. He had a fantastic T20.
"The biggest memories will be of Phil as a guy and in the dressing room. He was a top lad and had time for everybody, a lot of dressing room banter and a cheeky chappie.
"Bulls and cricket was what he talked about – probably bulls in front of cricket at times. He was a country boy and proud of where he was from and I think that is what drew him to Worcestershire so much, and how he lived his time here, a small city.
"He wasn't one for the big lights of London and Sydney, he liked his smaller towns and closer knit community."
Hughes was an instant success when he played for Middlesex, scoring 118 in his first innings at Lord's.
Grieving fans laid flowers at the Grace Gates at Lords on Thursday.
MCC president David Morgan said: "This devastating loss has shocked the cricket world, and on behalf of the MCC I offer our condolences to his family and friends.
"I well remember his first series in South Africa. Phillip was a fine cricketer and one who we will tragically never have the chance to see batting again here at the Home of Cricket.
"Cricket can be a dangerous sport, but for a talented young man to lose his life playing the game he loved is beyond most people's comprehension.
"Known as he was to so many at Lord's, this will be hard felt."
Former Australian fast-bowler and now Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie said he feels for NSW bowler Sean Abbott.
Abbott's bouncer hit Hughes in the head before Hughes collapsed on the SCG field.
"Sean is a 22-year-old, lovely young kid, just running in and doing his job, and this was the last thing you expect to happen on a cricket field," Gillespie said.
"He was bowling to one of his good mates as well so we are feeling for Abbott and for everyone on and off the field involved in that game."
Former England batsmen Kevin Pietersen echoed Gillespie's sentiment.
"He'll [Abbott[ be in dark place but I hope he keeps playing our game," Pietersen said
Australia are still scheduled to face India in the first of four Tests next week, in Brisbane, and Gillespie says that if that match does go ahead, it will be "tough" for the home players.
"I think it was a good decision to abandon the current round of Sheffield Shield games and the ICC made a very respectful decision for Pakistan and New Zealand to have a rest day in their Test on Thursday," Gillespie said..
"It's going to be hard for everyone in the Test match next week as this is a horrific circumstance, an absolute tragedy, that shouldn't happen in sport.
"A lot of those lads have grown up playing cricket together and when they get together it will be tough. It is very hard to comprehend how they are feeling and what's going to go on."
"This is devastating and I know a lot of people there that are grieving back in Australia.
"Phillip was a very popular character. He played for New South Wales and was playing for South Australia against New South Wales when this happened.
"He was friends with everyone there and I can't imagine what it would have been like to be there at that time.
"So I don't think now is the time to talk about changes in cricket equipment, it's time to grieve and pay respect to Phillip Hughes.
"There will be a time to discuss it but right now there is a family and a cricket community hurting as well as Phillip's friends away from cricket."
Hughes spent three seasons in England with Middlesex, Hampshire and Worcestershire."I know Phil has kept in contact with a lot of us … we'd have loved to have seen him back here," Mitchell said.
"I know Phil has kept in contact with a lot of us via text messages and we'd have loved to have seen him back here," Mitchell said. "If we were ever after a batter, he would have been top of the list.
"There were talks about coming back last year, and we were keen to have him, but he got in the Ashes party and it was great to see him playing against us at New Road.
"It's a shame and everyone here is absolutely devastated. He even put his flight back home at the end of the 2012 season to do the end of season night out with the lads.
"He was very much a part of the group and it is a really sad day for us."
