Cricket Australia accused of `prefabricating evidence` as Phillip Hughes inquest concludes

Melbourne [Australia], Oct.14 (ANI): The counsel representing Phillip Hughes's family has slammed the legitimacy of the testimony provided by cricketers in a startling conclusion to the inquest into the South Australian batsman's death. Hughes was struck on the back of the neck by a bouncer while batting for the West End Redbacks in a Sheffield Shield match against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground on November 25, 2014 which eventually led to his death two days later. On the last day of week-long inquest into Hughes' death at the NSW Coroner's Court in Sydney, the Australian batsman' family counsel Greg Melick accused that there was "prefabricating evidence" provided by players, who were present at the match, news.com.au reported. However, Melick soon back-tracked on his word and said he didn't mean to say that evidences were fabricated, but was rather confused as to why players were finding it difficult to recall the incidents. Melick, in his submissions to coroner Michael Barnes, further questioned that why Brad Haddin, Doug Bollinger, David Warner and Tom Cooper had answered so many questions with explanations like "no recollection" or "can't recall". Hitting back over the comments of Hughes' family counsel, Cricket Australia said there was no supportable evidence to support claims that sworn statements made by Australian cricketers were fabricated. Earlier, Haddin, Bollinger and Warner as well as Hughes' batting partner Cooper had denied the claims of sledging during the match raised by Phillip's brother Jason Hughes. Cooper had quashed the claims that New South Wales paceman Bollinger sledged batsmen with taunt of "I'm going to kill you" during the Sheffield Shield match. There were reports that Cooper had told Jason of the sledge in the changing room after the incident. The coroner is now expected to hand down his findings later this month. (ANI)