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Hughes family prepare for difficult week

The family of late Australian cricket Phillip Hughes hope there will be a positive outcome from the inquest into his death.

hughes
File photo dated 02/07/2013 of Australia batsman Phil Hughes. Source: Press Association

Australian cricketers are expected to give evidence at a five-day inquest starting Monday into the death of batsman Phillip Hughes.

Phillip Hughes' manager James Henderson said this week's inquest will be very difficult for the family.

"They hope something positive can come out of Phillip's death," Mr Henderson said.

Phillip Hughes, 25, died days after being hit by a ball during a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG in November 2014.

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Before the inquest began Cricket Australia gave a statement outside NSW Coroner's Courts.

James Sutherland says his thoughts are with Phillip's family but also with his cricket friends who have had to deal with the trauma of loosing a friend.

"Some will appear in this inquest," said Mr Sutherland.

"We never want to see a tragedy like this again. We hope something good happens from this process," Mr Sutherland said

State Coroner Michael Barnes is expected to look at the media coverage of the death, after Hughes' family reported feeling upset by the frequent broadcast of the fatal incident.

He will also look at whether the nature of play exacerbated the risk of injury, and if a different protective helmet would have reduced the likelihood of death, a NSW Coroner's Court spokesperson said.

Hughes' death prompted a review by Australian Bar Association's president David Curtain SC, who found the former Test batsman received appropriate medical attention in the 20 minutes and 10 seconds between being struck and an ambulance arriving.

The Curtain report also found the death would not have been prevented if Hughes had been wearing a British-standard helmet.

Hughes, who played 26 Tests and 25 one-day internationals, did not regain consciousness before his death.

With AAP.


2 min read

Published

Updated

By Kirsty Johansen



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