Dangerous bowling takes the joy out of cricket

SIR – As an American who, rather unusually, loves the game of cricket, I came away from Lord’s on Sunday feeling rather sad and, yes, ashamed. This was not only because parts of the crowd were baying for blood, but also because I do not see any honour in winning

(or even drawing) when it has come from bowling that is wilfully aimed at a batsman’s head, knocking him apparently unconscious and putting his life at risk.

Jofra Archer bowled 44 overs and struck Australian batsmen 11 times, putting Steve Smith in hospital and unable to play at Headingley. Without Smith, a victory there can only be judged a hollow one for England. What glory is there in that? It is not cricket.

I began following the game in 1974, during the winter Test series, when Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson were bowling bouncers. Then, in contrast to today, the British media decried their actions. In the Seventies one could at least claim that it was an Australian response to the “bodyline” series and somehow justified. Now, however, there can be no justification for such a tactic.

In the past 45 years there have been two developments that make this kind of bowling unacceptable. First, since 1974 medical research has proved that head injuries can leave permanent brain damage; and secondly, we have seen frightening injuries, and the death of Philip Hughes. There is nothing sporting about a player being killed by a deliberate action. It is not even manslaughter, since there was malice aforethought; it is murder.

It is not the fault of the bowlers that this danger exists, and I do not blame Archer. It is the game’s authorities who are at fault. They need to act immediately before this scourge causes more injuries or even another death.

The answer is a prohibition against bowling any ball above chest level to a batsman. A violation of this should result in the award of six runs to the batting team. Were it repeated, the umpire should remove the bowler from the attack. Dr David D Hebb

London N1