Former New South Wales cricket captain Brad Haddin has told an inquest into Australian Test cricketer Phillip Hughes's death he did not instruct his team to bowl more short balls at the batsman.

Key points: Cricketer Phillip Hughes died after freak accident during cricket match in 2014

Cricketer Phillip Hughes died after freak accident during cricket match in 2014 Assisting counsel says Hughes's death was likely "inevitable from the point of impact"

Assisting counsel says Hughes's death was likely "inevitable from the point of impact" Former NSW cricket captain says "it was just a normal game of cricket"

A coronial inquest is looking into the death of Hughes, 25, following the incident in which he was struck on the neck by a cricket ball in a Sheffield Shield match at the SCG on November 25, 2014.

He died after the injury to his neck caused a haemorrhage in his brain.

State coroner Michael Barnes is examining the manner and cause of Hughes's death, and may make recommendations regarding public health and safety.

Several cricketers, including David Warner and Doug Bollinger, as well as the team doctor are likely to be called to give evidence.

In the opening address delivered by counsel assisting, Kristina Stern SC, the inquest heard that team doctor, John Orchard, was performing mouth-to-mouth on Hughes within five minutes of the accident.

It also heard it took more than 30 minutes for an ambulance to reach the batsman, while it was more than an hour before he arrived at hospital.

Ms Stern said the ambulance dispatcher assigned a priority level of 1-C to the incident, which is the third highest.

"I anticipate that at the end of the evidence taken in this inquest there may well be no question that none of the chronology set out above had any impact upon the death of Phillip Hughes which appears to have been inevitable from the point of impact," she said.

Haddin questioned over safety, team strategy

Wicketkeeper and former Australian vice captain Brad Haddin has described the moment Hughes was struck by the ball.

"He looked OK for about three seconds and then it was something I'd never ever experienced when he fell down," he said.

"There was a noise that he let out — the groan — and the way he fell straight down motionless."

Haddin told the inquest he did not instruct his team to bowl more short balls at the batsmen, in response to concerns raised that such a targeted strategy had been in place.

"There was no discussion with anyone in New South Wales about bowling a higher number of short balls," he said.

"There was no discussion with the bowlers about how they needed to bowl. From a captain's point of view, I was just trying to cut the boundaries off."

Haddin said strategy discussion for the afternoon's play largely involved putting fielders out.

He said there was no ungentlemanly conduct and no talk of "sledging", or verbal intimidation.

"The game was played in a good spirit. It was just a normal game of cricket," he said.

According to the Hughes family lawyer, Greg Melick SC, the family have concerns that NSW player Bollinger said to Phillip Hughes, "I'm going to kill you".

Bollinger told the court he never said the comment, adding he did not feel Hughes had been targeted in any way.

He also said he had not "sledged" or verbally intimidated Hughes that day at all.

Ms Stern questioned Mr Bollinger over details of a legal statement he made, which said he had bowled just two bouncers at Mr Hughes throughout the day's match.

She explained that umpire analysis showed 23 bouncers were bowled over the day, and of that figure, 20 were bowled to Mr Hughes.

Mr Bollinger said there was no targeted short-ball strategy.

"There was no discussion about how many bouncers I should bowl," he said.

"After watching the footage of my bowling, I was bowling to regulation."

Mr Bollinger said he did not feel there was an unjustified number of short balls delivered over the day.

Ms Stern SC asked Mr Haddin about the emergency medical procedures in place at the time.

Haddin said he did not feel the procedures or equipment available required improvement.

"For me personally, I'm comfortable with what we have available," he said. "I've played the game a long time and I've never felt uncomfortable with those procedures in place."

Inquest revisits accident, hears about medical treatment

Hughes's sister and father left the courtroom before footage was played of the moment he was struck by the ball.

The cricketer's former manager, James Henderson, asked for privacy on behalf of the Hughes family. ( ABC News: Mike Edwards )

Ms Stern said there was no suggestion his helmet malfunctioned, and the area of his neck which was struck by the ball was not protected by the helmet.

"Since this incident, Masuri, the helmet manufacturer, has produced a product called a 'stem guard' which clips onto a cricket helmet and provides additional protection in a flexible form in the neck area," she said.

"This was developed in direct response to the incident involving Phillip Hughes to provide additional protection in the neck region.

"A number of cricketers who provided statements have indicated that they sometimes or always wear the stem guard."

Ms Stern added that Hughes's helmet complied with Australian standards but not with the 2013 British standard — but it did not appear it would have prevented his death if it did comply with British standards.

Before the inquest began, Hughes's former manager James Henderson spoke on behalf of the cricketer's family and asked the media to respect their privacy during the week-long hearing.

Cricket Australia released the findings and recommendations of an independent review into Hughes's death in May.

They found that wearing a more modern helmet and a neck guard would have been unlikely to prevent the cricketer's death.