A SURPRISE witness has created a storm in the inquest into the death of Phillip Hughes, claiming NSW fast bowler Doug Bollinger admitted to making an “I’ll kill you” sledge that has been a focal point this week.
Bollinger, David Warner, Brad Haddin and Hughes’ batting partner Tom Cooper have all denied the sledge was made.
Phillip Hughes’ brother Jason Hughes has claimed Cooper spoke of the alleged sledge at a gathering of players at an SCG wake the night Phillip died.
Cricketer Matt Day, a close friend of Phillip Hughes, backed Jason’s claim, The Australian reported.
“Whilst I was at the gathering at Sydney Cricket Ground, I was with a group of players sitting where the players’ seats are in the home dressing room,” Day said in the statement released this afternoon, adding that Bollinger was among the players in the group.
“There was general discussion regarding the circumstances of the match. At one stage, Doug Bollinger said words to the effect of: ‘One of my sledges was ‘I am going to kill you’. I can’t believe I said that. I’ve said things like that in the past but I am never going to say it again’.”
Day added: “Although I am used to sledging in cricket matches, I was stunned by Doug’s comment. I did not respond, nor did any of the other players.
“When I had the opportunity I approached Jason Hughes and I said words to the effect of ‘Doug Bollinger just told me that he sledged them by saying he was going to kill them’.
“Jason Hughes responded by saying words to the effect of ‘Tom Cooper told me the same thing’.”
Day was not cross examined on his statement.
Earlier, bowler Sean Abbott addressed for the first time the delivery he bowled to Phillip Hughes which struck the young batsmen on the neck, rupturing an artery that caused his death.
Abbott, who is the only key player on the field not required to appear at the inquest, said in a statement he thought “Phillip was a bit early through the shot”.
He described how he ran to the end of the pitch and held Hughes’ head after the batsman’s collapse.
In the brief, sad statement tabled in evidence to the inquest, which is being attended by Hughes’ family, Abbott said he felt confused, in a daze, upset and “super tired” for days after the freak incident.
He said he did not recall many elements of the day, such as the lunch session before the fatal incident, or whether he bowled fast or slow.
He described conditions on the field at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 25, 2014, when he was bowling for NSW against Hughes, who opened the batting for South Australia.
“I don’t remember the ball being fast or slow,” he said in his statement. Maybe the wicket was a little bit slower that day.
“I think Phillip was a bit early through the shot. If a batsman is early through the shot, it makes me think that the ball is slower than they had anticipated.
“After Phillip was struck, I saw him start to sway and I ran to the other end of the pitch and I held the right side of his head with my left hand.”
The inquest has heard that Hughes died from a subarachnoid haemorrhage after his vertebral artery was severely damaged when the ball that struck him in the neck lifted and rotated his head.
The injury was “very rare” in cricket, forensic pathologist Professor Johan Duflou told the inquest.
Hughes’ parents, Greg and Virginia, and siblings Megan and Jason, have expressed concerns at the inquest that Hughes was targeted by too many short-pitched fast balls, ungentlemanly behaviour and extreme sledging.
Abbott said he did “not recall seeing or hearing any backchat or chatting with the batsmen and I personally don’t recall talking to Phillip or Tom.”
During the inquest it was alleged that Hughes’ batting partner Tom Cooper told Jason Hughes that fast bowler Doug Bollinger said to him, “I’m going to kill you.”
Sean Abbott said: “I cannot recall any sledging on the day.”
Describing the immediate aftermath of the incident, Abbott said: “I remained on the field until Phillip was placed on the medicab and then returned to the change room.
“Once in the change room I felt confused and upset, I had a headache.
“People kept coming up to me but I cannot remember what they said.
“It was all a bit of a blur and I felt like I was in a bit of a daze. I felt super tired.
“These feelings stayed with me for the next few days.”
Counsel for the Hughes family, Greg Melick, SC, has suggested the NSW team targeted Phillip Hughes with a flurry of fast, short-pitched balls and bowled him 20 of the 23 bouncers delivered on the day.
Abbott said he “did not recall anything unusual” in the lead up to the incident which felled Hughes, or any specific plan to target him.
“I do not recall any particular instructions ... about the period after lunch,” he said.
“I really don’t remember the lunch period at all.
“I cannot recall any changes in the atmosphere or mood of the game after lunch.
“I cannot say that backchat is common, however, it is common for bowlers to talk to batsmen in the sense of having a competitive chat.
“I do not remember feeling better or worse than normal on the day of the match, nor do I remember bowling particularly fast or slow.
“I felt the game was being played within the laws and spirit of cricket.”
A spokesman for the NSW State Coroner Michael Barnes said Abbott had been excused from giving evidence in person, but did not say why.
Mr Barnes said at the onset of the inquest that he extended his deep condolences to Phillip Hughes’ family who had been “devastated “ by his death.
And that the players around Hughes on the field that day had been subject to emotional trauma.
The inquest continued on its third day of hearings on Wednesday in Sydney.
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