HELMETS

STATUS

Ready

Click here to view  https://tinyurl.com/kawarn5

This will become a new Appendix K in the 2017/18 QSDCA Playing Regulations. 

SUMMARY 

U18’s must wear helmets when batting, wicket-keeping up to the stumps or fielding close.


Helmets are:

* mandatory for U18 players when keeping up to the stumps and batting including to slow bowlers

* recommended for junior wicketkeepers standing back and fielding in close

* strongly recommended for senior players when batting, wicketkeeping up to the stumps or fielding in close (there's an attempt to define what this means but half pitch distance seems reasonable.)

* to be mandatory from 2019-20 season for all players both junior and senior when batting, wicketkeeping up to the stumps or fielding in close

* defined in the industrial standard BS7928:2013 (see list of helmets at https://www.ecb.co.uk/concussion-in-cricket/helmets )

(UPDATED LINK 25.4.17)

BACKGROUND

Click here to see a detailed explanation of what happened to Phil Hughes in a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 25 November 2014. https://tinyurl.com/lhswzdu

This Helmet regulation is imposed by Cricket Australia in response to this tragic incident.

DISCUSSION

Click here to see an email from Michael Fisher (Qld Cricket) discussing the current version. https://tinyurl.com/lpeeesb

Is it enough?
An unanswered question seems to be that the traditional helmet design does not include any protection for the neck region which was crucial in the case of Phil Hughes.

Helmets might be a worthwhile safety measure in general but most current designs and many older helmets now in use would not have been effective in stopping Phil Hughes' neck blow.
 
My own view is that the adoption of a mandatory Helmet regulation is probably a step in the right direction. But whether it has a positive effect will be difficult to determine. All it will take is one more random or unforeseen  incident to make helmet regulations look silly. If nothing happens it might look like helmet regulations had no effect. 

An outright and immediate ban on batting with no helmet and using an old design helmets would prompt an outcry from those with limited resources. Also it would be very technically difficult to ensure compliance.

The current plan to 'phase in' mandated helmets but of older design standard is a conservative move aimed at not upsetting conservative attitudes. Maybe a more strict design standard including neck protection should be added.

Concussion?
Another question is whether we should keep the concussion management guidelines in Appendix D of the QSDCA Playing Regulations. This section is complex and hard to follow but some policy directing head injured players from continuing needs to be in place to avoid the escalation of minor injuries to major brain damage and to avoid vicarious liability for officials, umpires, captains. I would prefer it be kept for those reasons. When or if a more straightforward guideline is issued only then should we consider replacement.

At the match
To get this regulation to work in the immediate future we must take steps to ensure captains and umpires identify any Under 18 players before the start of play and ensure they have suitable equipment prior to coming out to bat. See the new edition Team List about this issue.


 

ABM 25-04-2017

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