Plaque erected at SCG honours late batsman Phillip Hughes, the Boy from Macksville

A plaque to be erected at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) in memory of late batsman Phillip Hughes has been unveiled.

The memorial pays tribute to the Boy from Macksville who “became a hugely popular member of the world’s cricketing elite, forging friendships at home and abroad as fast as he accumulated runs”.

Hughes died in hospital after he was hit in the head by a bouncer while playing for South Australia against NSW at the SCG.

The memorial for Hughes will be installed outside the SCG dressing rooms.

Hughes’ family is expected to visit the SCG today to see the memorial installed.

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Macksville-born Phillip Hughes became the youngest man to score a century in a Sheffield Shield final when he posted 116 at the SCG during NSW’s win against Victoria in 2007-08.

The dashing and unorthodox left-hand batsman had earned his first NSW cap earlier that season, aged just 18.

Hughes made three more first-class centuries at the SCG, having quickly become a crowd favourite.

The Boy from Macksville also became a hugely popular member of the world’s cricketing elite, forging friendships at home and abroad as fast as he accumulated runs.

Hughes scored 9023 first-class runs at 46.51, compiling 26 hundreds from 114 matches.

He became Australia’s 408^th Test player during the 2008-09 tour of South Africa – a series in which he also became the youngest player to post centuries in both innings of a Test, and this, in only his second ever Test match.

He played three Tests at the SCG, narrowly missing a century in the 2012-13 summer when dismissed for 87 against Sri Lanka.

Hughes faced his last ball on 25 November 2014, playing for South Australia against NSW at the SCG.

His death two days later united the sporting world in grief, with Cricket Australia declaring him 63 not out forever – his final score at the SCG. His funeral in his home town was attended by thousands, with many more watching from the SCG.