Sean Abbott recalls day Phillip Hughes hit

Sean Abbott does not want to see the laws of cricket changed to eradicate the use of bouncers because “there will always be risks in the game”, the inquest into the death of Phillip Hughes has heard.

The third day of the inquest on Wednesday saw the release of Abbott’s statement. It described the events of November 25, 2014 from his perspective as the unfortunate man to bowl the ball that tragically struck Hughes in the side of the neck, causing the arterial injury that led to his death in St Vincent’s Hospital two days later.

Abbott has not been required to appear in the witness stand at the inquest, and in his statement he outlined how he does not wish to see the game irrevocably changed as a result of this most awful of events.

“I know there is a suggestion that the laws of the game be changed so that bouncers should not be bowled,” Abbott wrote, “but the same cricket ball will be hit and flying around whether bouncers are bowled or not. There will always be risks in the game.

“Nothing stands out to me as a change that should be made to cricket, except for maybe some more protective equipment and training on what to do if someone gets hit.”

Abbott’s recollections of the moment Hughes was struck focused on how the batsman had been through his shot before the ball arrived. “I think Phillip was a bit early through the shot,” he wrote. “If a batsman is early through the shot, it makes me think that the ball is slower than they had anticipated.

“I don’t …

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