‘Wear Neck Protectors or Face Sanction’: Cricket Australia’s Mandate for International & Domestic Players

Cricket Australia (CA) is set to implement new playing conditions for international and domestic players from October 1. The players will be required to wear neck protectors and if opposed, they will face sanctions as per the new set of rules and regulations.

CA has been urging players to use proper protective gear during games and practice sessions since the tragic death of Phillip Hughes in November 2014. The Australian cricket board now makes it mandatory for its players in order to avoid a potential mishap.

The mandate comes a week after all-rounder Cameron Green was struck by a Kagiso Rabada bouncer on the neck guard fixed to his helmet in the first ODI against South Africa in Bloemfontein. He was eventually substituted out of the first ODI against South Africa with a concussion.

“Protecting the head and neck is extremely important in our sport,” Peter Roach, CA’s Head of Cricket Operations and Scheduling, said.

“The neck protector product has come a long way in recent years and the decision to make them mandatory comes off the back of a lot of advice and consultation with a wide range of experts and stakeholders.

“We’ve certainly seen over a period of time players wearing them and becoming accustomed to wearing them,” he added.

Compulsory to wear neck protector against pacers

The neck protectors will be a must while facing fast or medium-pace bowlers in all Australian domestic competitions, including the Marsh Sheffield Shield, Marsh One-Day Cup, Women’s National Cricket League and both the men’s and women’s Big Bash, Cricket Australia stated.

CA also wants its players to wear them in international cricket when representing Australia both home and away. Although the international umpires won’t enforce the regulation like in domestic cricket, penalties will apply under CA’s code of conduct for non-compliance.

Neck protector not mandatory against spinners

The regulation does not apply to batters facing slow or spin bowling, along with wicketkeepers and close-in fielders. However, keepers standing up to the stumps and close-in fielders have long been required to wear helmets.

Players avoided neck protectors in the past

David Warner said in 2016 that he ‘does not’ and ‘will not’ wear a neck protector because it ‘digs into’ his neck and is a distraction.

Steve Smith suffered the consequences of not putting a neck protector on his helmet in the Ashes 2019 and was struck by Jofra Archer at Lord’s.

“I’ve tried them before and I tried them the other day when I was batting (in the nets) and I reckon my heart rate went up about 30 or 40 straight away,” Smith said in 2019.

“I just feel claustrophobic. I compare it to being stuck in an MRI scan machine. I’m sure the more I wear them, the more I practice with them, my heart rate will come down and everything will be OK,” he added.