Internet Desk: In a new twist at a Sydney inquest into Australian cricketer Phil Hughes death, New South Wales bowler Doug Bollinger told Hughes’ friend Mathew Day that he had said “I am going to kill you” on the playing field before the South Australian batsman was fatally struck by a ball, a coroner’s court has been told.
Day’s statement was contradicted by the New South Wales cricketers Brad Haddin, David Warner along with South Australia batsman Tom Cooper. They admitted they cannot recall Bollinger making the alleged sledge. However the Hughes’ family suspects that the sledge had been directed at the 25-year-old or his batting partner Tom Cooper.
Day’s statement reignited the issue of the Hughes family’s concerns that the NSW plan had a deliberate short-ball tactic, specifically after lunch.
Day’s statement included an allegation the then-NSW Blues assistant coach Trent Johnston had expressed regret about a short-ball plan to target Hughes.
“I shared a taxi with Trent Johnston (and he) said words to the effect of ‘I am struggling with the fact that I was a big part of the plan that New South Wales adopted, that was to bowl short to Phil, and that eventually ended with him being struck’.”
Hughes died two days after being struck on the neck by a bouncer bowled by Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shield match in Sydney on November 25, 2014.
The court had already heard evidence from former international umpire Simon Taufel, called as an expert witness, who conducted a ball-by-ball analysis of the entire day’s play. Taufel’s report found that while there were 20 deliveries he categorised as “bouncers” bowled at Hughes, not all of them were above shoulder height.
Taufel testified that there was nothing untoward about the NSW tactics and bowling and that they were within the laws and playing conditions and that the umpires had good control of the match at all times.
The inquest will continue till Friday.
With inputs from cricket.com.au