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

[Mecnun]

Inzy is the only man I seen batting without a thigh pad or a helmet against India. Anyone know of others who discarded thighpads?

 

[Richard]

Alex Tudor got hit in the face from a Bret Lee bouncer... passed under his helmet

Nah, it sneaked between his visor and grille.

 

[Richard]

And I have seen a picture of Mike Gatting with a broken nose - a present from the great WI pace attack of the 80's.

And foundation of one of the funniest adverts I've ever seen.
"Today at Heathrow, Mike Gatting made an early return from The West Indies... after being hit, in the face... by a nineteen mile per hour delivery."

 

[Langeveldt]

A question... if kids today were to start learning to do without helmets, would it help them play quick bowling better? There'd be no "oh I can take my eyes off the ball and duck blindly because I have a helmet" stuff going on. Hardly a match goes by in which that sort of stuff doesn't happen. If batsmen were to feel a real sense of danger, perhaps they'd learn to play the short stuff better. I'm talking about learning this way and growing up with it. I don't think it would work with batsmen who are already used to the helmet.

Wouldn't work.. Todays culture ensures that nobody wants to be liable when little Timmy gets one in the teeth.. I've been to the moon and back trying to get league permission not to wear one, but in the end I just had to wait till I was 18..

Not wearing a helmet stops me from sweeping, which isn't a great percentage shot for me..

 

[Galactic_Soap]

I remember young Merick Pringle[sp] coping one to the face from Javagal "The best quick to come out of India" Shrinath. And Robin Smith got absolutely sat on his **** by a West Indian quick (I forget which one) to come back with a modified grill. Jonty coped a smack from a fired up Devon Malcolm too.

 

[Son Of Coco]

Gus Logie got hit fielding in close by a Merv Hughes pull shot if I remember correctly (maybe 'Merv Hughes cross bat slog would be more appropriate) - I heard it bent the grill in and broke his nose...not sure if it was true or not, but if so, ouch.

 

[marc71178]

Was it Nick Knight who had to be carried off after being hit when fielding close in - 1995 Windies?

 

[Richard]

A question... if kids today were to start learning to do without helmets, would it help them play quick bowling better? There'd be no "oh I can take my eyes off the ball and duck blindly because I have a helmet" stuff going on. Hardly a match goes by in which that sort of stuff doesn't happen. If batsmen were to feel a real sense of danger, perhaps they'd learn to play the short stuff better. I'm talking about learning this way and growing up with it. I don't think it would work with batsmen who are already used to the helmet.

I don't understand why people think batsmen play the short-ball less well than they used to.
Every year wickets taken by the short-ball get less and less, and mostly because batsmen can play it without fear of being hurt judging by events.

 

[Eclipse]

Ponting.. more than any current player anyway...

 

[SJS]

I don't understand why people think batsmen play the short-ball less well than they used to.
Every year wickets taken by the short-ball get less and less, and mostly because batsmen can play it without fear of being hurt judging by events.

Oh they clearly play it much better since the helmets became common place. At all levels in our times, batsmen who were realy good against the short fast rising ball were few and everone new about them and talked about it. With so many of them good at it, we now talk of those who are either technicaly very good at hooking (getting over it if possible, being discreet rather than compulsive and so on) rather than admire anyone who can hook for his courage and feerlessnes as was done earlier.

There is no doubt that the overall level of proficiency in hooking is far improved and its almost as commonly played a shot as most others..almost

 

[Richard]

I'm delighted you think so.
Too many guys from your generation are very in-my-day-ish about wearing helmets and have these silly ideas about helmets meaning people play the short ball less well.

 

[Kweek]

Carl 'the cool' Hooper

well his shirt certainly isnt cool xD im wearing it

 

[Link]

why wear it then?

 

[adamj1300]

He did wear his Baggy Green on Test debut, and was wearing it when he was somehow adjudged lbw. I have heard some things about him not wearing a cap in WC96 (and also Top Cat has mentioned it here) - did he wear one when he made a ton against the Windies in that tournament?
I don't think he wore a helmet in the Tsunami match either, or maybe he came out in one but took it off pretty quickly.

no he didnt wear a helmet when he made the ton against the windies. thereare highlights of it on you tube

 

[Lostman]

SL's middle order in the 90's were mostly grill less.
Namely Aravinda, Arjuna and Tillekeratne. Aravinda though did start wearing a grill during his final series in 03.

Speaking of grills I remember a test in India in 98-99, where the SL keeper Lanka Desilva got smashed through the grill by a Srinath bouncer. Was one of those 2 grill helmets IIRC, and bloodied him badly. Never understood why they even made those tbh.

 

[Migara]

The UAE batsman in the 1996 World Cup (can't remember his name...) who faced Allan Donald wearing a floppy hat. And retired hurt not long afterwards. Floppy hat facing Donald...what a legend.

Zultan Zarwani. He did wear the helmet afterwards, but he did not get hurt.

 

[Migara]

What about batsmen who use helmets without grills? Matt Horne comes to mind.

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)

 

[0RI0N]

Lara,early nineties also played without the grille many times.
The 375 in '94 was without a grille.
In fact he beat Sobers record batting with a cap.
Think his 153* vs Pak in Sharjah '93 might have been too. Also the Aus tour to WI in '95.

 

[smash84]

Javed Miandad used to play with a visorless helmet

 

[Neil Pickup]

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?