Hookes was grabbed and punched, says Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis, the Victorian cricketer, told courts that David Hookes was grabbed by the throat and punched in the stomach on the evening he died after a fracas outside a nightclub in Melbourne, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.

Zdavko Micevic, a bouncer, was charged with manslaughter and assault in connection to Hookes's death, and court proceedings in this regard were under way. Lewis, who was outside the Beaconsfield Hotel where the incident took place, said he heard Hookes say "What are you doing?" and "I'm going home" when he was being pushed around by bouncers.

Lewis said that he did not see the cricketers being physically or verbally abusive towards the bouncers, but noted that two bouncers "kept on following him [Hookes] and getting in his face."

During the same proceedings Terry Forrest, the defence counsel, told the courts that Hookes was verbally aggressive towards a bouncer on the night in question. He added that Hookes was heard telling a bouncer that the hotel was going to "cop it" on air, when Hookes did commentary.

Wayne Phillips, another former Australian cricketer speaking at the hearings, said he saw Hookes get into an altercation with the bouncers after he was asked to leave. When asked whether he heard Hookes tell the bouncers that the establishment would "cop it" on air, Phillips said, "I assume that was the tack he was taking." Phillips also said that he tried to reason with the bouncers to let Hookes go, but that they seemed intent on intimidating him.