Australia bid farewell to one of its rising stars today. Phillip Joel Hughes was laid to rest in his hometown of Macksville on Wednesday.

The funeral for the late Test cricketer, who died at the age of 25 last week after being hit by a bouncer at the SCG, was held at a high school recreation hall in his hometown.

Australia captain Michael Clarke and the rest of the test squad were joined by former and current players from around the world, and friends and relatives from Hughes’ hometown of 2,500 people on the northern coast of New South Wales.

Michael Clarke’s tearful tribute to the late Phil Huges moved everyone who gathered at to mourn the passing of the 25 year old.  He concluded his emotional tribute bay saying “Rest in peace my little brother. I’ll see you out in the middle,” referring to the SCG where Clarke believes the spirit of Huges to lives on.

Clarke’s tearful tribute capped an emotion-charged service for the several hundred who crammed into the school hall, with thousands more watching from a nearby sports ground in sunny, steamy conditions.

Hughes’s family, parents Greg and Virginia and siblings Jason and Megan, entered the hall as Forever Young played.

Jason read a letter he had written to his younger brother, and vowed he would return to cricket to honor his brother’s memory.

Shane Warne, New Zealand’s Richard Hadlee, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist were among the previous players paid their respects.

A guard of honors was formed by the cricketers before a procession through Macksville’s main streets with the route marked by green and gold ribbons.​

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