Worcestershire skipper Daryl Mitchell has recalled "cheeky chappie" Phil Hughes' time at New Road and said: "He was a top man and will be sadly missed."
Hughes has passed away at the age of 25 after being hit on the head by a delivery at the Sydney Cricket Ground two days ago.
Mitchell praised Hughes' cricketing ability and his prolific spell at New Road helped to get him back into the Australian Test squad.
But he admits his biggest memories are of Phil Hughes the mickey-taking character who blended in so well with his team-mates.
Mitchell said: "Phil was a top man and will be very sadly missed. Cricket-wise he was fantastic for us, particularly in white ball cricket.
"He carried us through to the quarter-finals really with the runs he got in that competition. He had a fantastic T20.
"The biggest memories will be of Phil as a guy and in the dressing room. He was a top lad and had time for everbody, a lot of dressing room banter, a cheeky chappie.
"Whether it be Bradders, the pavilion attendant, a junior pro or a senior player or even management, he had the same amount of time for everybody and same level of mickey-taking across the board.
"Bulls and cricket was what he talked about – probably bulls in front of cricket at times. He was a country boy and proud of where he was from and I think that is what drew him to Worcester so much, and how he loved his time here, a small city.
"He wasn't one for the big lights of London and Sydney, he liked his smaller towns and closer knit community and that is what he was all about really."
Mitchell added: "The weight of runs he got at Worcester and at the start of the Australian domestic season got him back in the Test side.
"He was on the verge again now of getting back in as well reading the reports. It's a devastating blow really, 63 not out forever now which is a really sad thing.
"I know Phil has kept in contact with a lot of us via text messages and we'd have loved to have seen him back here.
"If we were ever after a batter, he would have been top of the list.
"There were talks about coming back last year, and we were keen to have him, but he got in the Ashes party and it was great to see him playing against us at New Road.
"It's a shame and everyone here is absolutely devastated.
"He even put his flight back home at the end of the 2012 season to do the end of season night out with the lads. He was very much a part of the group and it is a really sad day for us."
