WE MUST FIND A WAY FOR WILL
BORDER’S PLEA TO HELP PUCOVSKI
ALLAN Border says cricket equipment manufacturers must develop a helmet capable of protecting Will Pucovski, admitting he felt sorry for bowlers who target him.
Batting enigma Pucovski, who has suffered more than 11 concussions, is back on Australia’s radar after being named by the national selectors on Monday in a group of eight youngsters who will visit India next month for specialist tuition on subcontinental decks.
Pucovski, 24, has played just one Test but with Usman Khawaja and David Warner both 35, he remains a player of great interest to the selectors.
“There’s got to be someone out there who can build a helmet that takes the impact out, and the brain’s not so scattered around,’’ Border said in Brisbane on Monday at the field named in his honour.
Border was speaking at a ceremony where Border Field’s eye-pleasing white pickets were placed up for sale – for $500 to $5000 – for fans to have their names placed on the same picket as a legend, individually or with a current Queensland player.
It was a case of the rock star backing the star rock as Powderfinger front man and cricket nut Bernard Fanning paid $5000 to have his name on the picket named after Border, with funds from the project to assist areas such as female cricket, Indigenous health and disadvantaged youth.
“Surely there’s some way of putting this kid in a helmet that he’s going to be safe in and so that, if he gets hit in the head, it is not an issue,’’ Border said of Pucovski (pictured).
“And he can just then show his skills because he’s obviously got the skills. I feel sorry for opposition teams because you are going to attack him with bouncers aren’t you? This is just the way it is. It is not like the rugby (union) days where if you are 90 years old you were a yellow tag and are not allowed to be tackled.
“You cannot have a yellow tag that says no bouncers. He could be something very, very special. Because it’s a confidence thing to like, he must be continually worried about getting hit in the head. So if that’s in the back of my head, every time we go to bat, it’s hard to show your skills off.’’
Border also went into bat for the 50-over international, which provided him with one of his greatest triumphs – the 1987 World Cup – claiming he considers it a better game than T20 cricket.
“There’s just too much cricket being played with all the T20 leagues that are popping up. If it was me, I’d be less is best. So less cricket, but more meaningful cricket throughout the summer. That way, all three formats could flourish.
“The news of (England’s) Ben Stokes retiring (from 50over cricket) at 31 ... I mean, he won them the last World Cup last time. He’s not gonna be playing on this one.
“It doesn’t seem right, because I personally think 50 over creates a superior game (to T20).
“I like T20 and what it brings to the table but 50 over for me, if you’re playing a short form, is the better game.
“Thankfully, no one’s really talking too much about (the future of) Test cricket.’’