Why cricket needs extra cover behind the stumps

Why are we talking about it now

Australian wicketkeeper Sam Harper, playing for Victoria, was struck on the head with the bat after he was caught by the follow-through of a shot from South Australia batsman Jake Lehmann in a Sheffield Shield match.

He was waring a helmet but was taken for a precautionary brain scan which did not reveal any bleeding or bone damage. Last month, another wicketkeeper Peter Nevill suffered a burst blood vessel when he was hit on the jaw by Brad Hodge’s flying bat during his side Melbourne Renegades match against Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash League.

After Phillip Hughes’ death after being struck on the back of the head while batting, cricket is trying to be extra careful about concussion and other injuries to the head. Cricket Australia has introduced “concussion substitutes” in their domestic one-day tournament. These players will be allowed to bat and bowl in place of a concussed player, rather than just field. But they cannot introduce the change in firstclass cricket without ICC’S nod.

Risk involved

Wicketkeepers are part of the action on almost every ball of a match, and are hence aremorevulnerablethanotherfielders.they can be hit by the ball, a bail when standing up to the stumps, and now even bats.

Previous instances

India’s Saba Karim had his career’s ended prematurely after being struck on the eye by a ball that came off the batsman’s boot during the 2000 Asia Cup ion Dhaka. Despite surgery, his eyesight was not good enough to continue playing.

South African wicketkeeping stalwart Mark Boucher suffered the same fate after being struck on the eye by a flying bail during a tour natch on the 2012 tour of England. Going further back, former England wicketkeeper Paul Downton’s cricket career ended when he suffered a freak injury, in which a bail lodged in his eye when he was standing up to the stumps.

What do wicketkeepers wear

The Laws of the game stipulate that a wicketkeeper has to wear gloves and external leg guards. Most wicketkeepers these days also wear a helmet with grill to protect the face. Some even wear shades to protect their eyes. But they may not provide full protection against ‘freak’ injuries.

What has been done in this regard

England & Wales Cricket Board and Cricket Australia have made helmets compulsory while facing fast and fast-medium bowling and manufacturers have added extra protection to the back of the head.

What are the changes being suggested

Helmets are mandatory for wicketkeepers standing up to the stumps, according to a change in playing conditions recommended in the MCC Laws of Cricket.

Also, “At the commencement of the 2019-20 cricket season, all community cricketers — whether junior or senior — will be required to wear … compliant helmets at all times when batting, wicketkeeping up to the stumps and fielding in close,” CA’S Well Played report says. “CA also strongly recommends that all senior cricketers wear a helmet when batting, wicketkeeping up to the stumps and fielding in close, or in a zero-reaction-time position. In elite cricket, a zero-reaction-time position is considered any position within 7m of the batter except any position behind square on the off side.”

“(Clubs) are also encouraged to consider mandating the use of helmets for junior wicketkeepers, even if standing back to medium-fast bowlers, if there are concerns about the skill level of the wicketkeeper, bowlers and fielders.”

Following the Boucher incident, some studies recommended keepers wear polycarbonate eye protection, similar to the ballistic blast glasses worn by soldiers. It is debatable whether these measures would have prevented the above-mentioned injuries, but the quicker the sport realises something needs to be done, the better.