Phillip Hughes death: Bowler Doug Bollinger accused of saying ‘I’m going to kill you’ to batsman during tragic match
Bollinger tells Australian court "I know in my heart I didn't say that" before team-mate Sean Abbott delivered the fatal ball
AN opponent of tragic Phillip Hughes has denied telling the batsman "I'm going to kill you" before a cricket ball hit him on the neck and later killed him.
An inquest in Australia has called his death "inevitable" and has raised concerns over short-fast bowling deliveries that could pose a lethal threat to batsmen.
The five-day hearing is looking at whether Hughes' death could have been avoided.
And the coroners are also exploring why sledging went on in the match between Hughes' South Australia and his former side New South Wales.
The coroner's counsel Kristina Stern said Hughes' death "appears to have been inevitable from the point of impact."
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And Hughes' lawyer Greg Melick also suggested opposing bowler Doug Bollinger told the 25-year-old "I'm going to kill you" in the moments before his team-mate Sean Abbott delivered the fatal ball.
But Bollinger, now 35, denies saying this to his former team-mate.
He said: "I know in my heart I didn't say that."
Hughes was hit in the neck by a delivery from Abbott, before wheeling around and collapsing at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 25, 2014.
Hughes - who was also had 26 test caps for Australia - then died in hospital two days later, from a brain haemorrhage.
Australian cricket then went into a state of mourning after losing a promising player in the shocking tragedy.
New South Wales coroner Michael Barnes said the death was: "Completely unexpected and shocking. Quite clearly the death was a terrible accident.
"That does not mean cricket cannot be made safer."