State memorial service for Hughes cancelled

The state memorial service that was planned for Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes has been cancelled.

Hughes died in a Sydney hospital on Nov. 27, two days after he was struck in the head by a ball while he was batting in a first-class state match at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

About 5,000 people attended his funeral at his home town of Macksville last week. His funeral was shown live on Australian television while tributes took place at some of Australia's major cricket grounds.

The New South Wales Premier Mike Baird offered the family a state memorial service but announced on Monday that Hughes' family and Cricket Australia had decided not to proceed with it.

"All parties felt that given the enormous outpouring of support at last Wednesday's funeral, a state memorial service would no longer need to be held," Baird said.

Hughes' death has rocked the cricketing world and forced the rescheduling of the series between Australia and India.

Cricket Australia will honour Hughes before the start of the rearranged first Test against India in Adelaide on Tuesday.

Baird said there would also be a smaller service held at the Sydney Cricket Ground before the fourth and final Test in early January.