North Canberra Gungahlin's English all-rounder George Rhodes remembers waiting nervously to hear about the condition of the late Phillip Hughes.
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Rhodes was in the second team at Worcestershire when Hughes spent an Australian winter working on his game in English county cricket.
Hughes enjoyed a brilliant campaign, scoring two centuries and 498 one-day runs at 83 and had a Twenty20 average of 100 in 2012.
He credited Rhodes' father - former English wicketkeeper Steve Rhodes, who is now director of cricket at Worcestershire - with helping him rectifying a flaw in his batting technique.
Then everything changed. Hughes was hit by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield game last year.
"My dad got the news in the middle of the night that it didn't look very good," George Rhodes said. "It was a bit of a waiting game because we weren't sure which way it was going to go.
"Everyone was a little bit on edge because we hoped for the best at the time. It was such a shame and one of those things you hope never happens again.
"He was such a nice person and all the lads loved him at Worcester."
Rhodes, 21, was awarded his first full professional contract with Worcestershire until the end of next season.
He's been able to draw on the experiences of his father Steve, who played 11 Tests and nine one-day internationals for England.
"It's a bit hard to step back and think he's really experienced, he's not just my dad," Rhodes said. "He knows what he's talking about. He's my coach as well, so it's that split of coach/father which does help growing up."
Rhodes is having his first summer in the ACT Premier Cricket competition following in the footsteps of his Worcestershire team-mate, Joe Leach.
"Leachy came last year and had a successful year at Norths and did really well in England," Rhodes said. "I was always looking to go away and Leachy teed up Norths and they were interested.
"Norths want to continue the relationship with Worcestershire and Leachy had full praise for the place."
Norths will have to beat ladder leaders Eastlake at Harrison No. 2 Oval on Saturday and hope Queanbeyan and ANU lose their respective games to reach the Gallop Cup semi-finals.
Queanbeyan can lock up fourth spot if they beat last-placed Ginninderra, while ANU take on Tuggeranong.
Weston Creek Molonglo and Wests-UC will be warming up for the finals when they square off at Jamison Oval.
GALLOP CUP - ROUND 7
Saturday: Wests-UC v Weston Creek Molonglo at Jamison Oval; North Canberra Gungahlin v Eastlake at Harrison No.2 Oval; Queanbeyan v Ginninderra at Freebody Oval; ANU v Tuggeranong at ANU North Oval. All games 11am.
