Inquest opens in Phil Hughes' death after 2 years

Phil Hughes died two years ago after he was struck with a ball at the base of his skull. He suffered the fatal injury while batting for South Australia at SCG. The investigation will review whether Hughes' death could have been avoided.

"Quite clearly the death was a terrible accident. But that does not mean that cricket cannot be made safer," Coroner Michael Barnes said at the opening of the inquest, according to Reuters.

The investigation has been opened almost two years after the 25-year-old died after he was struck with the ball during a First-Class match at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). 

Hughes was hit at the base of the skull on November 25, 2014, and succumbed to injuries from bleeding on the brain. He was batting for South Australia that day. He died two days later at a Sydney hospital. 

The footage of the blow and Hughes' injury was played repeatedly at the court which saw a few of his family members leave the room.

New South Wales cricketer, Sean Abbott, bowled the fatal delivery to Hughes.

The court will go through the "nature of the play" during the match, emergency medical and emergency response to Hughes' injury and as well as if the fatal tragedy could be avoided had Hughes worn a protective equipment. 

The court has decided to hear evidence from Abbott and Hughes' former and present Australian cricketers, Brad Haddin, David Warner and Doug Bollinger. 

The death of the South Australian cricketer, who was excited to play that day as he was looking to regain his place in the national team, stunned Australia and world cricket after receiving an outpouring grief. 

Earlier in the year, senior lawyer David Curtain released a 62-page report recommending reforms to be implemented by Cricket Australia to avoid tragedies like these in the future. 

The cricket body did apply the changes recommended by the Curtain report which included forcing the batsmen to wear a helmet while they face medium pace and fast bowling. Although, it was concluded that it would have anyway not prevented Hughes' death