SUSSEX captain Luke Wright admitted Matthew Hobden’s death brought back painful memories of when he lost close cricketing friend Tom Maynard nearly four years ago.

He stood alongside his Sussex troops 40 minutes before play against Essex in the County Championship to witness a planting of a willow tree – the wood used for cricket bats – in homage to his former team mate Hobden.

Wright was in Australia over the New Year period when Hobden died in Scotland and admitted the dressing room was still coming to terms with the loss of the county’s opening bowler.

Wright said: “It’s been pretty tough, but we’ve all stuck together as a club.

“It was our moment to give something back to the big man.

“It was tough, but we’re all together not and we’re all wearing his shirt with his name and number on, so it’s going to be tough but a nice moment [to have him out there with us in spirit].”

It was a stark reminder for Wright of the summer of 2012 when the news Surrey’s Tom Maynard had died at the age of 23.

Four and a half months on from the tragedy – there is still a lingering sadness in the Sussex squad.

“A lot of guys are struggling still with it and it’s something you never really get over.

“I went through it with a close friend in Tom Maynard before – it never feels real, it’s something that’s going to be with us for the rest of our lives.”

Although Hobden acquired the nickname The Beast for his talents on the field, his demeanour off it was anything but according to Wright.

“He was just a friendly giant, a big lad, quite clumsy, but had amazing ability as well,” he added.

“So coming back for the winter, we’ve missed him first and foremost as a person, but not having him in the squad as a player has been a huge loss for us as well.

“People have said he was destined for greater honours, and I’m sure he would have been, but in our camp he’s sorely missed.

“For a lot of the guys that were away, myself I was in Australia and a lot of the guys were, so we didn’t really have the chance at the time to pay our respects."