Head Games

Concussion substitutes set to debut in men’s Ashes.

Melinda Farrell.

Cricinfo.

Wednesday, 17 July 2019.

PTG 2852-14187.

Concussion substitutes are likely to be introduced to international cricket in time for the men's Ashes Test series next month (PTG 2807-13986, 1 June 2019).  The issue is on the agenda at the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) annual conference, currently being held in London, and it is understood the changes to playing conditions will almost certainly be approved and implemented quickly, so that all matches played in the World Test Championship will have the same safety protocols in place.

The discussion surrounding the use of concussion substitutes has grown since the inquest held in Australia following the death of Phillip Hughes, who was struck on the head by a ball during a Sheffield Shield match in November 2014. It also occurs at a time when the wider sports world has become more aware of both the short- and long-term effects of concussion.

Cricket Australia (CA) introduced concussion substitutes to their men's and women's domestic one-day cups and Twenty20s for the 2016-17 season. But they had to wait for ICC approval to be granted in May 2017 before they could introduce it to the Sheffield Shield the following year and maintain the competition's first-class status  (PTG 2190-11096, 5 July 2017).

The ICC have conducted trials and also used research carried out by CA into cricket-specific effects of concussion. During the recently concluded men's World Cup, there was a concerted push to increase education around recognising the symptoms of and highlighting the dangers of continuing to play with concussion (PTG 2823-14056, 19 June 2019). There was also a range of protocols in place: every team had a nominated Team Medical Representative and there was an independent match-day doctor at every game to provide support.

But this highlights some of the challenges of bringing concussion subs into the international game. During Sri Lanka's Test tour of Australia earlier this year, both Kusal Mendis and Dimuth Karunaratne were struck on the head and were taken to hospital, only to be subsequently cleared to play. But the Sri Lankan management team did not include a doctor and so both teams were treated by members of the Australian medical staff (PTG 2720-13590, 9 February 2019).

It is not yet clear if the introduction of the substitute rule will include mandatory levels of medical staff or independent doctors, or if an independent doctor would be required at all international matches.  The ICC annual conference will conclude on Friday.

CA leads push for bowler helmets.
Martin Smith.

Cricket Network.

Tuesday, 16 July 2019.

PTG 2852-14188.

Cricket Australia (CA) has made moves to fast-track the development of a protective helmet for fast bowlers, with hopes a product could be ready for use as early as this year (PTG 2813-14014, 10 June 2019).  The issue of bowler safety was brought back into focus last month after a net bowler suffered a skull fracture when he was hit during an Australian World Cup training session in London (PTG 2812-14011, 9 June 2019).  There have been moves from within CA for some time to develop a protective helmet for bowlers and the game’s governing body has been working closely with a sportswear manufacturer in recent months.

CA has been leading testing on a newly-designed, Australian-developed helmet for players in contact football codes, which is hoped can help protect cricketers as well. Testing has shown the helmet can reduce the likelihood of concussion by up to 55 per cent for football players.  Given the mechanics of a fast bowler’s run-up and bowling action, a tight-fitting helmet - similar to those used by footballers – would be far more practical for bowlers than a traditional batting helmet. 

As was the case when batting helmets were first introduced in the 1970s, comfort and aesthetics are likely to be factors when bowlers decide whether or not they will wear them in games. Once a product has been approved, it’s hoped that - at the very least – players can be convinced to wear them at training to protect themselves during net sessions.  With modern batsmen hitting the ball harder than ever and the rise of T20 cricket encouraging aggressive stroke play, there have been several incidents in recent years where bowlers have been hit in the head in their follow-through.

Australian quick Joe Mennie suffered a fractured skull and minor brain bleeding after he was hit during a net session in early 2017, and he was struck in the head again during a match in England 18 months later (PTG 2494-12603, 30 June 2018)   Earlier this year, Australian spinner Fawad Ahmed suffered a fractured jaw and needed extensive dental work after he was hit in the mouth by a batsman’s straight drive.  While facial injuries like the ones suffered by Fawad are far from ideal, there are greater concerns over blows to the forehead and top of the head.

These concerns surround fast bowlers more than spinners, particularly those like Mennie who keep their head down in their follow-through, meaning they have less time to react when a ball is hit towards them.  In addition to leading the testing of a helmet in Australia (PTG 2538-12801, 11 August 2018), CA has also been in discussions with officials in England, who recently offered a cash prize and created a working group to develop a bespoke protective helmet (PTG 2793-13927, 14 May 2019)     .

Eighteen months ago, Otago fast bowler Warren Barnes made headlines when he bowled with a protective helmet during a domestic match in New Zealand. The right-arm quick modified a helmet normally used by field hockey players when defending penalty corners that protects both the head and face (PTG 2313-11678, 11 January 2018).

Following the independent review into the death of Phillip Hughes in 2014, CA mandated the use of helmets for all elite-level batsmen against pace bowling, as well as for close-in fielders and wicketkeepers when standing up to the stumps. Helmets must also meet the British Standard to provide the highest level of protection (PTG 1958-9855, 25 October 2016). 

In 2017, Australia also became the first country to introduce concussion substitutions to its elite domestic competitions, and CA has recently lobbied the International Cricket Council for this to be introduced at international level as well  (PTG 2807-13986, 1 June 2019).