This article originally appeared on news.com.au and has been republished here with full permission.
Speaking to reporter Allison Langdon the pain is still evident as the former cricket captain reflects on the passing of Hughes and his false hope he would pull through.
False hope is better than no hope
“I guess I probably tried to tell myself that there’s a chance he’d be okay,” he said.
“But I think I knew there wasn’t.”
Michael Clarke said he gave himself false hope Phillip Hughes would pull through.
Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes was very close friends with Clarke. Picture: Hamish Blair/Getty Source: Supplied
Hughes died on November 27, 2014, three days after he was struck in the neck by the ball during a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground between South Australia and New South Wales.
Clarke was a pallbearer at the 25-year-old’s funeral, which was held in Macksville, NSW.
In his speech at the service Clarke reflected on his close friendship with Hughes.
“I don’t know about you but I keep looking for him. I know it’s crazy, but I expect any minute to take a call from him or to see his face pop around the corner to call me into the next room for a story and a laugh,” he said.
“Rest in peace my little brother. I’ll see you out in the middle.”
And, what about Lara?
In the broad ranging interview Clarke also touched on his previous relationship with model Lara Worthington (formerly Bingle).
Michael Clarke and the former Lara Bingle when they were engaged. Picture: Supplied Source: News Limited
The pair were due to marry but after flying home in 2010 from a cricket tour in New Zealand for ‘personal reasons’ Clarke then announced their engagement was over.
Referring to an incident yet to be revealed Clarke said he hid in the boot of a mate’s car to sneak out.
Asked by Langdon if he should apologise for his ‘younger self’ the father-of-one had pretty firm views.
“I have apologised enough,” he said.
“I haven’t done anything wrong. I just did it my way.”
Clarke was also asked if he threw a tantrum, if he was a good vice-captain to Ricky Ponting, and if he called Shane Watson a cancer on the team.
The full interview will air on Channel Nine on Sunday night, October 16, at 8.30pm.
