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Helmets in cricket

Red

The normal awards that everyone else has
Hopefully this wont turn in to a Jewish/non-Jewish discussion...


Helmets are a significant innovation in cricket. It's baffling that helmets didn't become commonplace until the 1970s, while cricket has for the most part seen fit to protect the legs, hands and groin area from cricket ball pain.

I'm having a cursory glance at the wikipedia page on cricket helmets which informs me that Patsy Hendren used some protective headwear (self made) in the '30s. Later on Brearley had his own design of protective headwear. Graham Yallop was the first to use a helmet, and Dennis Amiss increased their popularity.

It amazes me that after a series such as Bodyline, no one thought to themselves "it might be a good idea to protect our heads". Sports like football in the USA and horse racing were using protective headgear much earlier than cricket.

I never wear a helmet in cricket anymore, although I used to wear one occasionally. I play a lower grade of cricket these days, but if I came across someone who I considered really quick, I'd put on a helmet. My reflexes aren't quite what they were 10 years ago.

Anyway, this is a bit of a rambling OP to a thread on helmets in cricket.
 
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archie mac

International Coach
Hopefully this wont turn in to a Jewish/non-Jewish discussion...


Helmets are a significant innovation in cricket. It's baffling that helmets didn't become commonplace until the 1970s, while cricket has for the most part seen fit to protect the legs, hands and groin area from cricket ball pain.

I'm having a cursory glance at the wikipedia page on cricket helmets which informs me that Patsy Hendren used some protective headwear (self made) in the '30s. Later on Brearley had his own design of protective headwear. Graham Yallop was the first to use a helmet, and Dennis Amiss increased their popularity.

It amazes me that after a series such as Bodyline, no one thought to themselves "it might be a good idea to protect our heads". Sports like football in the USA and horse racing were using protective headgear much earlier than cricket.

I never wear a helmet in cricket anymore, although I used to wear one occasionally. I play a lower grade of cricket these days, but if I came across someone who I considered really quick, I'd put on a helmet. My reflexes aren't quite what they were 10 years ago.

Anyway, this is a bit of a rambling OP to a thread on helmets in cricket.
Yallop did wear one early, but I thought Greig wore one at an earlier date? Not sure though:)
 

Migara

Cricketer Of The Year
Helmet will not change how a quality player plays. For example, Lara or SRT will not change their game without helmets. But it's batsmen who are a tier or two below have benefited from it, now knowing they cannot be intimidated, hence coming on to front foot more and more.

Pre-helmet era, hook and the pull were played getting inside the line, because if you miss it would hit you. And any top edged pulls will come on to the face. But with helmet now batsmen are hooking balls which are aimed in between their eyes (And only mortal who did that in pre-helmet era was Viv), in front of them. Now pulling results a greater arc of run scoring areas than in the past, because with the helmet, you can pull balls without getting inside the line, and now it can even be pulled through wide mid on.
 

the big bambino

International Captain
Of course it wont change how a player plays. It gives confidence that you will be protected in those unforseen circumstances when a batsman even as good as Lara is hit by a someone quick, like Shoaib.

Without protection a great player can have their career finsihed as may have happened even to Lara. I recall Strauss once joking after a big innings how he was clanged twice by Lee. The fact he had a helmet made it a joke. Imagine if he was hit and had his skull cracked? Instead of laughing it off he would have been effected to the point of finishing his career. Helmets save careers and preserve health. Like Monk I wonder why people were derided for even wearinmg them. Players protect their hands, arms, ribs and groins. Yet for some reason we left our heads up over the trenches.
 

Dan

Hall of Fame Member
Yeah, it's definitely changed techniques regarding hooking in particular; you can now keep your head in line with the ball and not have to be concerned with death. If we still didn't have them now, that technique never would have changed.

In terms of the uptake, some older players who grew up before helmets were enforced in age group cricket have said that they find the grill impedes their vision, so that may well explain it somewhat.
 

uvelocity

International Coach
yeah the grille always bothered me, when i started helmets were expensive and optional. even though im a rabbit i've never been hit flush, but after 3 top edges to the face, 2 permanent fat lips and a disconnected retina i always wear a lid
 

Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
The first protection I saw was worn by Mike Brearley. It wasn't really a helmet it was more like a crown with bits covering the area around the temples.
Viv Richards never wore a helmet and was never hit although he liked to hook.
 

coolkuna

Cricket Spectator
The first protection I saw was worn by Mike Brearley. It wasn't really a helmet it was more like a crown with bits covering the area around the temples.
Viv Richards never wore a helmet and was never hit although he liked to hook.
Viv Richards was hit couple of times (the most famous one being this). But if anything, that increases his stature in my eyes. Yes, he was one of the finest players of the hook shot. His genius in being able to "flat-bat" express bouncers was amazing. I remember Thommo talking about that famous hook shot that Viv played off Thommo's bowling in Barbados (considered by many to be the quickest spell ever). I recall a Bajan (spectator) saying that he has seen a lot of express pace bowling from Holding to Brett Lee, but that spell of Thommo was by far the quickest he has ever seen. I think even Colin Croft has the same opinion.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Helmet will not change how a quality player plays. For example, Lara or SRT will not change their game without helmets. But it's batsmen who are a tier or two below have benefited from it, now knowing they cannot be intimidated, hence coming on to front foot more and more.

Pre-helmet era, hook and the pull were played getting inside the line, because if you miss it would hit you. And any top edged pulls will come on to the face. But with helmet now batsmen are hooking balls which are aimed in between their eyes (And only mortal who did that in pre-helmet era was Viv), in front of them. Now pulling results a greater arc of run scoring areas than in the past, because with the helmet, you can pull balls without getting inside the line, and now it can even be pulled through wide mid on.
Gun post.
 

Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Helmet will not change how a quality player plays. For example, Lara or SRT will not change their game without helmets. But it's batsmen who are a tier or two below have benefited from it, now knowing they cannot be intimidated, hence coming on to front foot more and more.

Pre-helmet era, hook and the pull were played getting inside the line, because if you miss it would hit you. And any top edged pulls will come on to the face. But with helmet now batsmen are hooking balls which are aimed in between their eyes (And only mortal who did that in pre-helmet era was Viv), in front of them. Now pulling results a greater arc of run scoring areas than in the past, because with the helmet, you can pull balls without getting inside the line, and now it can even be pulled through wide mid on.
Lara was hit quite a few times. Even by 'Lightening' John Morris see 2:55 Brian Lara 501* vs Durham 1994 - highest first class innings - YouTube

As for Viv being the only one to hook balls bateen their eyes *ahem*

http://www.google.com.my/url?sa=t&r...LCPVJmQYgX6o_nSDfWwrgrA&bvm=bv.45645796,d.bmk
 

the big bambino

International Captain
Greg Chappell criticised the excessive pace in wsc pitches in his bio. He bounced Richards and hit him on the head to make his point.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
The first protection I saw was worn by Mike Brearley. It wasn't really a helmet it was more like a crown with bits covering the area around the temples.
Viv Richards never wore a helmet and was never hit although he liked to hook.
Hendren's was very similar
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yallop did wear one early, but I thought Greig wore one at an earlier date? Not sure though:)
Yallop was the first person to wear one in a test match but others wore them in WSC before that (pretty sure Greig, Barry Richards and Asif Iqbal used to wear those motor bike helmet styled ones)
 

archie mac

International Coach
Yallop was the first person to wear one in a test match but others wore them in WSC before that (pretty sure Greig, Barry Richards and Asif Iqbal used to wear those motor bike helmet styled ones)
Yeah that is what I thought. Yallop first in Tests:)
 

stumpski

International Captain
There was a lot of criticism of batting helmets when they came in, some of it, predictably, from old buffers like EW Swanton and EM Wellings who thought that being able to identify a batsman from a distance was more important than said batsman not wishing to have his skull fractured; also from former players who wanted everyone to know that they would never have worn one. Yeah, right, I remember thinking at the time. Sadiq Mohammad was the first to wear one in a Test in England, in 1978, but IIRC none of the England players did that summer (apart from Brearley's unique contraption), nor did the New Zealanders who came later. But when England came up against Hogg in Australia at the end of the year the whole team was kitted out pretty soon. Boycott I remember was one of the last to use one.
 

the big bambino

International Captain
Old buffers who faced the pointy end had no qualms however. I recall the excreable commentator Peter Meares interviewing Bill Ponsford and assuming his subject's views on helmets. Meares was an ingratiating suck and talk about laugh when Ponsford set him straight and yes, he would have worn a helmet if they were available at the time.

Its unfortunate, though understandable, that accusations of cowardice appended themselves to batsmen who draw away from fast bowling. Ironically it was real courage to stand against that attitude and pioneer the wearing of helmets. That and the subsequent insistence of the game's law makers to rule on their use in junior matches atleast, made the game safer and able to be played without unfair insinuations about your character.
 
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Goughy

Hall of Fame Member
Old buffers who faced the pointy end had no qualms however. I recall the excreable commentator Peter Meares interviewing Bill Ponsford and assuming his subject's views on helmets. Meares was an ingratiating suck and talk about laugh when Ponsford set him straight and yes, he would have worn a helmet if they were available at the time.

Its unfortunate, though understandable, that accusations of cowardice appended themselves to batsmen who draw away from fast bowling. Ironically it was real courage to stand against that attitude and pioneer the wearing of helmets. That and the subsequent insistence of the game's law makers to rule on their use in junior matches atleast, made the game safer and able to be played without unfair insinuations about your character.
We have seen the same recently with keepers wearing helmets standing up. It makes sense to me but it certainly looked odd. Accusations of cowardice and lack of skill were thrown around but now it is normal.
 

LongHopCassidy

International Captain
We have seen the same recently with keepers wearing helmets standing up. It makes sense to me but it certainly looked odd. Accusations of cowardice and lack of skill were thrown around but now it is normal.
Adam Gilchrist actually wrote an ODI cricketing manual back in the late 90s. He justified using a helmet standing up by saying something along the lines of:

"Yes, you might feel a bit silly but a top edge into the front teeth will take far longer to forget."

You might play the hook and sweep thousands of times in one FC career, but it only takes one top edge to end up like this:



That was Mark Vermeulen after trying to pull the warp-speed Irfan Pathan, btw. The subsequent brain trauma caused a permanent state of psychosis which included him trying to burn down the Zimbabwean cricketing academy and publicly praising Robert Mugabe.
 
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Lillian Thomson

Hall of Fame Member
I don't have a problem with keepers wearing a helmet but I wouldn't allow a close fielder to wear one. If you don't feel safe don't stand so close.
 

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