His was the effort expected of a leader, and it was definitely noticed by Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland, who appreciated Clarke's selflessness, and grace, under incredible pressure.

"The way he's offered support to the Hughes family has been outstanding and I've seen that in the hospital leading to Phillip's death ... he's been a real rock to them, and I know he continues to be that today and will continue in the future as that."

Clarke's own support came from Duncan Kerr, a NSW paramedic, a councillor on Warringah Council and Clarke's personal trainer. He shadowed Clarke so closely throughout the week, some people may have thought he was a bodyguard.

"I felt Clarkey had been through so much, he needed somebody to be with him," Kerr told The Tonk.

"I've known him for 17 years. Michael wanted me to be with him and I was pleased to do what I could to help him during a terrible time."

Kerr, who was also close to Hughes, ensured Clarke continued to train ahead of the first Test against India, which starts in Adelaide on Tuesday.

"We did a few sessions. I made him do them for normality's sake," he said.

"It was important to keep going, not to let the training go, because I didn't want all the work he'd done over a number of weeks [to recover from a hamstring problem] to fall by the wayside."

It was tough love, and while Kerr conceded training was definitely very hard for the skipper as he grieved for Hughes, it needed to be done.

Kerr's 15-year-old son Lachlan also struggled throughout the week because Hughes was a mentor who'd often text inspirational messages and presented him with one of his national shirts from his last Ashes series.

Lachy, who made Manly's Green Shield and fifth grade teams,  still loves cricket despite the terrible tragedy.

Two people who also deserve special mention for the manner in which they acted during the frantic hours after Hughes was injured at the SCG is CNSW media men Malcolm Conn and Sudesh Arudpragasam, who kept the media informed of any updates in an open and dignified manner.

UP WHERE HE BELONGS

An hour before Hughes was injured while trying to force his way back into the Test team, NSW fast bowler Josh Hazlewood was presented to the media after he was named in Australia's first Test squad.

It was a special moment and a tribute to 23-year-old Hazlewood's determination to fight back from a series of injuries, including stress fractures and other strains.

While he had a number of reasons to celebrate his selection, the thought that really pleased Hazlewood – the biggest and fastest thing to come out of Bendemeer, population 485, since the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt tore through the New England village with NSW mounted police in hot pursuit 150 years ago – was feeling he deserved his place.

He was asked whether success came too early for him – after all, he was 17 when selected to represent the Baggy Blues against New Zealand in 2008, and 19 when he played for Australia's one-day team against England.

"I've played a few years of domestic cricket now and it feels like I'm ready," he said.

"It's hard to say at the time whether you're ready or not [when selected for NSW at 17]. I feel as though I am now, having a few seasons of domestic cricket under my belt and doing the hard yards for NSW over the past couple of years, and doing quite well in [last season's] Shield final."

While former Test pace aces Glenn McGrath and Mike Whitney pushed hard for Hazlewood's selection, he credited Australia fast-bowling coach Craig McDermott for helping him to evolve.

"A couple of years ago, being a hit-the-wicket kind of bowler, I wasn't getting a lot of bowled or LBWs," he said. "[McDermott said] just to pitch the ball up a bit, get a bit more swing and try to hit the stumps as much as I can. That's obviously led to a few more wickets in the past few years."

BEEFY'S CHOICE

Eoin Morgan should be motivated to excel  when he represents the Sydney Thunder in this summer's T20 Big Bash League because there's a push by an English great for him to captain England's World Cup side.

Ian Botham wants Morgan to replace Alastair Cook as skipper. "I think he's a bit more out of the box," said Botham of Morgan, the Dublin-born dasher.

England have never won the World Cup. Botham fears unless the selectors do something drastic – and quickly –  they'll have no chance in the 2015 tournament.

AUSSIE ANTHEM 

The spirit of Australia's baggy green brotherhood took on a special meaning this week through Phillip Hughes' tragic passing and it could be enhanced before next year's Ashes tour of Britain.

It would involve an oom-pah band, numerous ales and an invitation for Ian Chappell's 1972 squad to mix with Michael Clarke's boys.

During an interview with Chappell during the week, breakfast radio host John Stanley played Here Come the Aussies, a song which was a Top 40 hit 42-years ago.

The lyrics are simple enough: "Here come the Aussies and cricket is the game ... we're all together and winning is our aim ... we'll play on through the English rain, and win the Ashes back again."

Chappelli  picked his voice out of the din, saying it was the one "out of tune".

"We sang it after we won the Test at Lord's and Bob Massie took the 16 wickets. We'd been at an official function so we were there in dinner suits, and it was [recorded at] about three or four in the morning ... bottles of beer in our hands."

The song can be found on YouTube. How good would it be to unite Chappell's and Clarke's men to re-record the song and raise proceeds to assist the nation's embattled farmers, with whom Hughes identified so much?

DRESS SENSE

Master Blaster Viv Richards has joined forces with his daughter Masaba Gupta, one of India's young up-and- coming fashion designers, to create a sportswear line. The Mumbai fashionista predicted the range will add a "stylish touch" to sportswear.

Masaba, who was born to Richards and Indian actress Neena Gupta in 1989, once dreamed of becoming a tennis player.

While her father dazzled crowds with the way he wielded the willow, Masaba excited critics with her unconventional prints, and  the ways she uses cotton and muslin. "Very proud to be part of my daughter's new sportswear line" was the word from the Viv on the project.

TAKING THE FIGHT TO DEV

Indian legend Kapil Dev made an enemy he might regret ever upsetting, should they meet in a dark alley. Dev was involved in a ding-dong battle with India's 2010 Commonwealth Games gold medal-winning boxer Manoj Kumar by not nominating him for their nation's most prestigious sports awards.

The Dev-led selection panel instead pushed another boxer, who won bronze.

When Kumar phoned Dev to express his displeasure, the former cricketer insulted him by asking "do I know you?"

Then, when Kumar pointed out to Dev he'd went into bat for a bronze medallist, the conversation was abruptly terminated.

Kumar took the matter to court, and with the belatedly presented gong firmly in hand delivered a KO sledge.

"Today I can tell Kapil Dev that I am Manoj Kumar, who had won the gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, and now I have got the Arjuna award, I have today given a fitting reply to Kapil Dev."