"Mum, you have to yell out when I am on 63 so I can retire."
From the mouths of babes, it's a telling request from a child due to play club cricket on Saturday and make his representative debut on Sunday.
My son is 13. He's a hit-and-miss opening batsman and line-and-length bowler, who will most likely one day have a long and happy career in Northern District's fifth grade team.
He is heartbroken at the death of Phillip Hughes, who was on 63 not out when a bouncer struck him below the helmet at the SCG on Tuesday.
My son comprehends the pain the bowler Sean Abbott must be suffering.
My son didn't want to talk much, instead choosing to express his sorrow on Facebook as is the way with his generation. He changed his cover photo to a tribute to Hughes.
He liked a page called "Support for Sean Abbott".
He spent Thursday night watching news videos of Hughes at his finest, batting for Australia. The Hughes tragedy hits hard a long, long way down cricket's family.
But this weekend, my son wants to play cricket. He reasons that Hughes would not want him, nor any child in Australia, to sit around playing computer games when they could be out in the sun, living the baggy green dream.
Cricket Australia is encouraging children to play.
Chief executive James Sutherland sent a memo to junior coaches and managers on Thursday night that read in part: "We know that Phillip would encourage you to celebrate the game of cricket with your mates over the weekend. We ask you to do that in tribute to Phillip Hughes. Whether that's getting creative with writing his player number 408 on the outfield, wearing a black arm band or having a moment's silence after the toss. Celebrate his great achievements and the contribution he made to our game."
Sydney's Inner West Harbour Cricket Association President Mark McRae, who has requested that all children from under-8 up wear black armbands, has advised coaches and managers: "For the young children who may not understand, simply explain that we are saying goodbye to a good man."
My son has asked us to buy black tape so he and his teammates can wear black armbands. They will stop for a minute before their game, at Homebush where Hughes finished his schooling, to grieve, to honour, to remember.
For the cricket mums, who will run around smothering kids in sunscreen and tightening helmet straps, there are no words that can comfort Virginia Hughes.
There is, though, an almighty hug and the knowledge that her son's spirit, and the positivity with which he played every shot, lives in each child who takes to the ground on Saturday morning.
It simply must.
Kathryn Wicks assists in the managing of two junior teams and is the Herald's state editor.
