Australia cricket captain Michael Clarke broke down in tears as he paid tribute to friend and team-mate Phillip Hughes at the batsman’s funeral.
Hughes, 25, died last week after being hit by a ball during a match in Sydney.
His death stunned Australia and the funeral was broadcast live to millions of people on national television and on big screens in major cities.
Around 5,000 people attended the service in Hughes’s home town of Macksville, New South Wales.
The service was also shown at the Sydney Cricket Ground, where Hughes suffered the injury during a state match on Tuesday, 25 November. He died two days later.
During the 80-minute service, Clarke said: “Phillip’s spirit, which is now part of our game forever, will act as a custodian of the sport we all love.
“We must listen to it. We must cherish it. We must learn from it. We must dig in and get through to tea. And we must play on.
“So rest in peace my little brother. I will see you out in the middle.”
Around 1,000 people attended the funeral at Macksville High School, which Hughes attended, as thousands more watched on screens in the baking heat outside.
Joining the parents of Hughes, Greg and Virginia, and his siblings, Jason and Megan, were Clarke and Sean Abbott, the bowler whose delivery caused the fatal injury to Hughes.
Former Australia internationals Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Steve Waugh and Justin Langer were also among the mourners.
