Inquest’s bitter closing
MEMBERS of Phillip Hughes’s family scoffed and walked out of a Sydney court in a tempestuous end to an emotional five-day inquest.
A wedge between the cricket community and the Hughes family deepened at the Downing Centre over whether the 25-year-old was targeted by short-pitched bowling and sledging before he was fatally struck during a Sheffield Shield match on November 25, 2014.
Cynical laughter could be heard in the courtroom as Bruce Hodgkinson, SC, who is part of a team representing cricket boards and players, said the “bonds of mateship were on display” from the moment Hughes was injured.
“The display of affection and respect speaks volumes about this young man,” he said in a statement similar to the one delivered by Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland at Hughes’s funeral.
Hughes’s sister Megan left the court towards the end of the statement, which was delivered yesterday on behalf of Cricket Australia, the South Australian Cricket Association and Cricket NSW.
The entire family also left the courtroom as Mr Hodgkinson earlier submitted that statements suggesting NSW bowler Doug Bollinger said “I am going to kill you” before Hughes was hit shouldn’t detract from the testimony of umpires and players, who say they can’t recall the sledge.
The family’s barrister, Greg Melick, SC, initially submitted some evidence had been fabricated.
But he later retracted the statement, saying the evidence of players is not reliable because they first gave statements 18 to 22 months after the tragedy.
“At the end of the day, there was a plan,” he said.
“There was sledging and short balls were bowled at Phillip Hughes.”
Mr Melick said evidence from retired Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and Australian vice-captain David Warner that there was no sledging at all on the day “beggars belief”.
The court has heard NSW bowler Sean Abbott bowled nine straight short balls to Hughes, including the fatal delivery.
The submissions came as statements from the Hughes family, where they expressed concerns about the lead-up and aftermath of the incident, were released to the media.
Father Greg Hughes said the alleged sledging was abusive and intimidating and amounted to slander, while short-pitched bowling left his son in an “unsafe workplace.”
Senior Cricket Australia official Pat Howard said the inquest had been difficult for traumatised players while the Hughes family did not say anything as they left the court complex.
State Coroner Michael Barnes will hand down his findings on November 4.