They are the five words that have haunted the inquest into the death of Phillip Hughes - an alleged sledge by NSW player Doug Bollinger in the direction of Hughes and his batting partner.

And while four players have denied hearing such a sledge, a statement from a fifth cricketer now contradicts Bollinger's denial.

Matthew Day said he discussed the final game with Bollinger and others at the Sydney Cricket Ground while grieving for Hughes on November 27, 2014.

"One of my sledges was 'I'm going to kill you'," Bollinger said, according to Day. "I can't believe I said that," he allegedly went on. "I've said things like that in the past but I am never going to say them again."

Day, who played with Hughes in junior NSW teams, said he was "stunned" by the comment.

Bollinger said on Monday "I know in my heart I didn't say that."

The release of Day's statement came on the same day counsel assisting coroner Michael Barnes said he should make no finding about sledging.

"It's unnecessary," Kristina Stern, SC, said.

"It will be my submission that the evidence Your Honour has heard is such that there is no evidence that any comments that day in any way exacerbated the risk of injury to Phillip Hughes."

Hughes, 25, was killed by the impact of a short ball that struck his neck during a Sheffield Shield game on November 25, 2014.

Hughes' brother Jason has said he was told Bollinger said "I'm going to kill you" in the direction of Hughes and his batting partner Tom Cooper.

Cooper said in evidence he neither heard such a sledge nor told Jason Hughes anything of the kind.

Two other NSW players, David Warner and Brad Haddin, also told the court they heard no sledging on the day.

They said there was a "good vibe" and Hughes appeared at ease.

The Hughes family lawyer, Greg Melick, SC, pursued sledging as a main line of inquiry over the first two days of the inquest. The family fears Hughes was intimidated and abused in an "ungentlemanly way", as well as being targeted by a strategy of short-pitched, high-bouncing balls.

According to Day's statement, the assistant NSW coach on the day, Trent Johnston, commented after Hughes' death on strategy.

"I'm struggling with the fact that I was a big part of the plan that NSW adopted, that was to bowl short to Phil, and that eventually ended up with him being struck," Johnston allegedly said.

Sean Abbott, the bowler who delivered the ball that struck Hughes, said in a statement released on Wednesday that he, too, heard no backchat.

Abbott, who has made no public comment on the incident, described a normal day of cricket: fine weather, a typical Sydney Cricket Ground wicket, unremarkable play.

"I think Phillip was a bit early through the shot," Abbott said of the final delivery. "If a batsman is early through the shot, it makes me think the ball is slower than they anticipated."

Abbott saw Hughes sway after he was struck. "I ran to the other end of the pitch and I held the right side of his head with my left hand."

Afterward, he felt confused and upset. "It was all a bit of a blur."

Inquest hearings are set to continue until Friday.