Alan Davidson, an 85-year-old living legend of Australian cricket, said the legacy of the late Phillip Hughes would be that he was a cricketer tough enough - and talented enough - to never accept defeat.

Davidson mourned the passing of a life that was taken too early, however, he said what Hughes may have been denied in years he more than made up for in achievement and by being loved by many.

"When you think Phillip was a kid of 25, he would've been 26 on Sunday, it's a tribute to think of his incredible record for one so young," he said. "He'd played 26 Tests already and I know he'll be remembered as a typical country kid who had a dream, who achieved a dream and while that dream may have had its setbacks along the way he was such a determined bloke Phillip worked hard to make that 'good'.

"As testimony to his character there was no one ever who said a bad word about him. He was seen by blokes like Dan Smith and Matt Day when he came to play for Wests [as a 17-year-old in 2006] as the 'bushie'; a kid with a great demeanour and that made him special.

"He was also seen as the person who kept on fighting for his dream. He never, ever accepted defeat and that's a great trait  ... to realise you can be beaten but never defeated ... that's the story of Phillip Hughes."

Davidson, like Hughes, came to Sydney from the bush to join the Western Suburbs club and it was from Pratten Park in Ashfield where both men climbed through the ranks to represent Australia.  However, Davidson said it hurt to realise Hughes lost his life trying to realise his dream to wear the baggy green cap once again.

"That's the sad part, a young person who has partly achieved their dream but not fully appreciating  ... or getting ... their wish," he said.

Davidson also pleaded for Sean Abbott, who bowled the ball that hit Hughes, not to torment himself with guilt when he said, from an 85-year-old, who'd watched a lot of cricket, it was definitely an "innocent" delivery.

"My thoughts go out to Sean Abbott, it was such an unfortunate thing," he said. "Phillip got into a position where he unfortunately missed the ball. It was not a delivery bowled with the intent to cause harm, the aim was to simply cause a bad shot.

"You see bowlers who deliberately go out to maim a batsman but this ... this was just an innocent ball and I hope Sean can appreciate that."

Nathan Bracken, who played alongside Hughes for NSW and Australia, also offered Abbott his wholehearted support and urged him to accept it was an accident.

"My thoughts are with Sean Abbott, he'd be hurting and needs our support," Bracken said.

However, he was stunned to think Hughes, who had so much in front of him, had passed away in St Vincent's Hospital.

"Everyone has spoken about Phillip as a cricketer and we need to remember that he was amazing at what he did," Bracken said.

"He was special. I've watched him play in games and conditions that others struggled in and he made it look so easy. He made his sacrifices, he didn't play in the Big Bash T20 League when he was dropped from the Test team to spend time to get 'it' right.

"He worked on technique; focused on scoring runs."

Like Davidson, Bracken said future generations would read about a player who took nothing for granted but dug deep when required.

"Phillip Hughes was someone who, when challenged, gritted his teeth and gave it his all," he said. "He did the extra yards, worked hard in the nets. He was relentless.

"Words can't describe my emotions. It's just not fair ..."

The captain of Western Suburbs, Jeff Cook, said Hughes' passing would be felt extremely hard in the NSW country where, like Glenn McGrath, Mark Taylor, Michael Slater and others who'd made the grade, he proved it could be done.

"I had a bit to do with Phillip in the country before he came to Sydney," Cook said. "A super guy, a super player and highly respected.

"Everyone in the country wanted to see him do well in Sydney because we realised the promise he had. This is a tragedy ... it is a tragedy we'll never get to see how far he would have gone in the game."

And then, perhaps without realising it, Cook wrote Phillip Hughes' epitaph: "He was very special."