batsmen in modern times (since helmets) who never worn helmets??

[Burgey]

Aravinda de Silva never wore one with a grill. He was so assured against anything at his face height (which is not a lot BTW)

When helmets first came in the grills were perspex. They tended to distort your vision a bit and were really hot. The alternative was the one with the ear pieces only. I'd imagine the guys who grew up in that era may have started using the ones without the grills and kept on with it even when the current style grill came in.

 

[Burgey]

Rather bizarrely, it was commented on this summer how unusual it was that the keepers for my U10/U11 sides were not wearing helmets when standing back from the stumps. Indeed, one school/club/county (I forget which) has deemed it necessary for their keepers to wear lids at all times. Where is this going to stop?

Probably when parents stop suing clubs and associations for the cost of their kid's dental work when a ball bounces up and hits them mate. A lot of associations and clubs here are paranoid a out that here.

 

[Cevno]

True.

And what is the harm in wearing helmets?

Raman Lamba lost his life not wearing one at short leg.
And i cringe everytime the likes of Ricky Ponting and others go and field near the batsmen without one.

 

[Top_Cat]

Pretty sure Aravinda wore a perspex grill early days. Obviously figured out how much they sucked fairly quickly.

 

[Noble One]

I recall an ODI between Australia and West Indies in 1995. Ambrose walked out to bat with not even a floppy hat facing a very quick Craig McDermott. Ambrose was hit flush on the cheek missing a hook shot and he barely flinched. Gave McDermott the death stare and proceeded to face up for the next ball.

Tough bastard.

 

[Hit Wicket]

If memory serves my right, Richardson wore a helmet in the '95 series against Australia after McDermott and McGrath targeted him with bouncers.

Richards is the only one I can think of who never wore any protection. Gavaskar, also, never wore a helmet but did wear the 'skull cap'. Not sure how effective it would have been if he actually got hit, because it looked nothing more than molded plastic.

 

[Debris]

If memory serves my right, Richardson wore a helmet in the '95 series against Australia after McDermott and McGrath targeted him with bouncers.

Richards is the only one I can think of who never wore any protection. Gavaskar, also, never wore a helmet but did wear the 'skull cap'. Not sure how effective it would have been if he actually got hit, because it looked nothing more than molded plastic.

Richie Richardson started wearing a helmet after he got quite a bad injury from being struck on the head. He was never quite the same after that.

 

[Top_Cat]

Hmmm, remember the press at the time being more about a confidence thing after he had a breakdown during an English season for Yorks to explain why he went for the lid. Where/when did he get hit? Not doubting you, honestly don't remember that.

 

[stumpski]

Interesting that this has come up again. I've been reading Matthew Engel's account of the 1985 Ashes (lifted from his Guardian reports) and seven years after the helmet came into Test cricket, it's noticeable how many batsmen were still batting in caps. Steve Waugh was still doing so four years later IIRC.

Makes me wonder why they took so long to come in really ... was it a case of batsmen not wanting to appear frightened, or at least wary, of being hit? And maybe it was thought that it would encourage the bowler to unleash more short stuff. I think that perhaps if it had been tail-enders who started wearing them first, they wouldn't have been the subject of derision. Derek Underwood batting against the '76 West Indians would have been recognised for what he was surely - a brave but not particularly competent low-order batsman.

 

[Migara]

I recall an ODI between Australia and West Indies in 1995. Ambrose walked out to bat with not even a floppy hat facing a very quick Craig McDermott. Ambrose was hit flush on the cheek missing a hook shot and he barely flinched. Gave McDermott the death stare and proceeded to face up for the next ball.

Tough bastard.

The same tough bastard came without the thigh guard against a rampaging Waqar and was hit by a vicious in winger in an ODI. Ambrose couldn't even take the field after the blow. Toughness and silliness have a very thin line of seperation.

 

[andyc]

Rather bizarrely, it was commented on this summer how unusual it was that the keepers for my U10/U11 sides were not wearing helmets when standing back from the stumps. Indeed, one school/club/county (I forget which) has deemed it necessary for their keepers to wear lids at all times. Where is this going to stop?

Ridiculous. Reckon that wearing a helmet while standing back would have a chance at doing more damage as if you're diving around wearing it and it's not fitted properly it could easily be bouncing around and knocking your head.

 

[bagapath]

Interesting that this has come up again. I've been reading Matthew Engel's account of the 1985 Ashes (lifted from his Guardian reports) and seven years after the helmet came into Test cricket, it's noticeable how many batsmen were still batting in caps. Steve Waugh was still doing so four years later IIRC.

Makes me wonder why they took so long to come in really ... was it a case of batsmen not wanting to appear frightened, or at least wary, of being hit? And maybe it was thought that it would encourage the bowler to unleash more short stuff. I think that perhaps if it had been tail-enders who started wearing them first, they wouldn't have been the subject of derision. Derek Underwood batting against the '76 West Indians would have been recognised for what he was surely - a brave but not particularly competent low-order batsman.

A lot of these batsmen started playing in hats and caps and continued that way throughout grade and state cricket. Sandeep Patil writes about being forced to wear a helmet in the middle of a series in australia (1981) and how tough it was to get used to it. May be in the case of viv richards some pride was involved. Others just didn't learn to adjust to playing with the helmet until they were forced to. Steve must have started playing organized cricket in mid 70s when his early training would have involved no headgear. No wonder he took time to adapt.

 

[thierry henry]

I open the batting and I don't wear a helmet Don't usually wear a hat either which I admit is a bit of a **** move, I just usually forget to bring one. Don't even brush my hair, WAG

 

[smash84]

The same tough bastard came without the thigh guard against a rampaging Waqar and was hit by a vicious in winger in an ODI. Ambrose couldn't even take the field after the blow. Toughness and silliness have a very thin line of seperation.