Cyril Haearn wrote:Are there parallels, is there a lobby for compulsory LJs?
Our cricket boys plan to be world champions tomorrow, most do not wear h****s
They ALL wear helmets when batting and it has not prevented an Aussie dying after being hit on the back of the head (the unprotected part above the nape) a few years ago. Anecdotally, ball striking head/helmet is far more common now than ever was in pre-helmet days but it is clear that batting techniques have evolved that make head strikes more likely particular when hooking the bouncers and involve taking eye off the ball. In my competing cricket days we were taught to evade head high balls that were in line, now they tend to try and hit them and those outside the off stump which increases risk of helmet strike even more.
As it happens I do wear now a helmet not because of bouncers but now being older and playing on very suspect pitches the variable bounce can result in a ball in the face without much chance of getting out of the way. Ironically, I have only ever been hit on the head once and that was wearing helmet - I tried to sweep (hit a slower ball round to the left side for non-cricketers) and the ball hit the top edge of the bat and up into the face grill. Probably avoided a misshapen nose, black eye, stitches, worst would be cheek fracture, certainly not life threatening but I certainly would never had turned my head with or without helmet so ‘life saving’ effect was nil.