SA cricket pays tribute to Redbacks and Australian cricketer Phil Hughes Vale Phillip Hughes 1988-2014 - The tribute on the main Adelaide Oval scoreboard. THE South Australian Cricket Association has described Phillip Hughes as a "favourite" and "loved by everyone" in the devastating aftermath of the Redbacks batsman's death. Hughes died on Thursday afternoon from injuries suffered two days ago in a Sheffield Shield clash with New South Wales, when he was struck in the neck by a short-pitched delivery at the Sydney Cricket Ground. "While everyone at SACA is hurting, the immediate thoughts of all staff and players are for Phillip's family who were with him at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney," SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw said. He was a very popular member of both the West End Redbacks and Adelaide Strikers cricket teams and a favourite of the SACA members and cricket fans across South Australia and Australia, and we are all struggling to come to terms with the news. Loved by everyone, Phillip was a really terrific person and a remarkable talent. He had many friends and teammates here and interstate that will need support, and it is important we offer them our love and care as we all come to terms with this tragic event. The outpouring of support for Phillip over the past few days has been overwhelming, and a testament to how much of an impact he had on so many people. Players and SACA staff, as well as members of his grade cricket club East Torrens, are being offered counselling and ongoing support. Floral tributes laid at the Adelaide Oval for Phil Hughes. Bradshaw said SACA's thoughts were also with Hughes" Australian and New South Wales friends and teammates. Hughes moved to SA from NSW in 2012 to further his national selection opportunities, cementing his position at the top of the Redbacks" line-up and with the Adelaide Strikers. He played 26 Test matches for Australia, averaging 32.65, making three Test centuries. He was the youngest player to score back-to-back centuries in the same match, in only his second Test. In his 114 first class matches, he scored more than 9000 runs, at an average of 46.51. Originally published as SACA: Hughes was loved by everyone