Hughes family wants big crowd at funeral

Phillip Hughes' family hopes as many people as possible will attend his funeral in Macksville on Wednesday. Approximately 5000 mourners are expected to attend the funeral service, which will take place at 2pm in the sports hall at Macksville High School, with overflow areas on the school's two sports ovals.

Cricket Australia also expect 300 to 400 dignitaries and past and present players to attend the service, including the entire New South Wales and Australia Test squads. James Henderson, Hughes' manager, told reporters in Macksville on Tuesday that despite the limited capacity of the school hall, the family hoped anyone who wanted to attend would do so.

"For the people who aren't able to get into the hall, the family has made arrangements for several overflow areas at the local high school," Henderson said. "So everybody should come to celebrate Phillip's life. That's what the family wants."

After the service, players will form a guard of honour and a public procession will then follow the hearse through Macksville.

"People who are at the high school during the service are asked to line the streets and pay the most fitting farewell to Macksville's favourite," Henderson said. "Also tomorrow evening, the whole town will stop to celebrate Phillip's life. The family wants to see as many people as it possibly can."

Hughes died at St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney on Thursday after being struck by a bouncer during the New South Wales-South Australia Sheffield Shield match at the SCG on Tuesday last week. Henderson said the Hughes family had been touched by the support shown by the public since the tragic event.

"The past week has certainly been a very, very difficult time for the family and for the broader community," he said. "And they've been very moved from the support that's come from here in Australia and obviously all the way around the world, where Phil's untimely and sad passing has affected so many people.

"They're very proud that their son has made such an impression on people who knew him and obviously people now who have come to know him in this unfortunate circumstance ... Hughesy was a real no-fuss guy, and I know he would be looking down on this and wondering what the hell is going on."

The funeral will be broadcast live on television in Australia and public viewings of the service will also take place at the SCG, Adelaide Oval, WACA and Bellerive Oval. Australia's captain Michael Clarke will deliver a tribute to Hughes at the funeral and will be a pall-bearer, along with Aaron Finch and Tom Cooper.