Phillip Hughes: #putoutyourbats tribute sees Twitter users pay their respects ...

Tributes came from the likes of former England spinner Graeme Swann, West Indies great Sir Viv Richards and cricket fan Piers Morgan, but the most fitting tribute came from Hughes' Australian team-mates and national team.

Cricket Australia placed 63 bats in the window of its Melbourne offices, one for each run he scored in his final innings in the Sheffield Shield match between Hughes' South Australia and New South Wales.

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The movement started spontaneously but has been traced back to Paul Taylor, a cricket fan from Sydney, who posted a picture of his bat leant against a wall with a cap on the handle and the hashtag #putoutyourbats.

Taylor posted: 'Fans put their bats out in tribute to Australian cricket star Phillip Hughes following his tragic death aged 25'

#RIPPhillipHughes #putoutyourbats http://ift.tt/1ynB5rJ

; Paul D. Taylor (@Squizabilly) November 27, 2014

It quickly swept across the social media site, with the image resonating with cricketers of all standards as a sign of preparing for the day's play ahead.

Swann took to his Twitter account to say: 'I used this bat at Lord's in 2010 against the West Indies and made 63* #putyourbatsout.'

I used this bat at Lords in 2010 against the West Indies and made 63* #putyourbatsout http://ift.tt/1vrzFdF

; Graeme Swann (@Swannyg66) November 28, 2014

Morgan tweeted: 'RIP Phillip Hughes, 63 not out forever. #putoutyourbats.'

RIP Phillip Hughes, 63 not out forever. #putoutyourbats http://ift.tt/1vq09MC

; Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 27, 2014

Steve Smith, one of Hughes' Australian team-mates, said: '#putoutyourbats missing the little fella #408forever'.

#putoutyourbats missing the little fella. #408forever http://ift.tt/1AYr6eP

; Steve Smith (@stevesmith49) November 28, 2014

408 stands for Hughes' selection number for his country, as he became the 408th player to represent Australia when he made his Test debut against South Africa in February 2009.

Another of Hughes' team-mates, David Warner, was on the pitch representing New South Wales when he was hit by a bouncer from Sean Abbott, resulting in a vertebral artery dissection which caused Hughes to suffer massive bleeding on the brain.

Warner posted: '#putoutyourbats missing my little mate so much!! I wish I can wake up from this bad dream. Once again not out on the cricket field and forever #63notout love you BRAZ!!'

Expert medical care enabled Hughes to be transferred immediately to St Vincent's Hospital in Sydney where he underwent an operation, but he was pronounced dead two days later in an announcement that has shocked and stunned the world over.

RIP Phillip Hughes, 63 not out forever. #putoutyourbats http://ift.tt/1vq09MC

; Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) November 27, 2014

Crack, the sound of ball on bat. Your memory will echo through the summer. #63notout #putoutyourbats #RIPPhilHughes http://ift.tt/1vshOV3

; Qantas Wallabies (@QantasWallabies) November 27, 2014

Rest In Peace Phillip Hughes #putoutyourbats http://ift.tt/1AYr5Yp

; Viv Richards (@vivrichards56) November 28, 2014

In Sharjah, all 11 bats belonging to the Pakistan players were placed outside the dressing room with their caps on the handles ahead o the resumption of the Third Test against New Zealand, which had been postponed yesterday as a mark of respect to Hughes.