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Further implications
Late on November 27, 2014, the day Phillip Hughes died, police confirmed they would be preparing a report for the Coroner. It is understood they had already spoken to witnesses to the incident, including bowler Sean Abbott.
A death can be reported to the Coroner for several reasons, including if it were unexpected, unnatural or resulted from an accident or injury. New South Wales Police would not say how many witnesses, or who, they intended to conduct formal interviews with.
Cricket Australia's chief executive, James Sutherland, has also promised that there will be a review into player safety as a consequence of Hughes's death, with particular emphasis on helmet regulations.
It is difficult to predict exactly what will result of either of these inquiries. There is no suggestion that charges of any sort will be laid against Sean Abbott, however, both the Coroner and the Cricket Australia review may make recommendations about ways in which to increase cricket safety. It seems unlikely that recommendations will be made, at least by Cricket Australia, to completely outlaw the use of bouncers. It is possible that the regulations may be tightened so that only one bouncer per over will be allowed in One Day Cricket as well as Test Cricket. It is also possible that the number of bouncers allowable could be reduced still further, for example, to one bouncer every two overs per bowler.
Currently batsmen are not compulsorily required to wear helmets. That may change. There are also likely to be further improvements in helmet design. This would have occurred in any case; however, Hughes's death is likely to act as a catalyst for even further or more rapid development. It is also the case that the wearing of helmets may be extended beyond the batsman.
The effect of improved helmet design and the more general use of helmets is not certain. Concern has been expressed that the general use of helmets by batsmen has led to a less cautious attitude among batsmen which has placed them at greater risk. It is also possible that bowlers may have become more aggressive, believing that the helmets will protect batsmen from the dangers inherent in bouncers.
If there were to be a further death or serious injury as a result of a bouncer, it would become more likely that the sport may remove that type of delivery from the bowler's arsenal. Currently, most commentators have explained the circumstances surrounding Phillip Hughes's death as a freak accident and thus something very unlikely to occur again.