Assalaamo-3laekum
This is a NEW SERIES!!
I’m going to be looking at each aspect of cricket fashion, equipment and style through the ages, explaining a little bit about it and showing some nice pictures. So a bit similar to my Old School Photo Albums Parts I and II - lots of pictures and a few words. Enjoy!
“Necessity is the mother of invention” said Plato, there or thereabouts. Back in the day, people needed to get stuff around easier and faster. So they invented those round things. Cricket is no different. People needed to stop getting shin bruises from the ball – they invented pads. They were also tremendously concerned over the danger of their testes hammered by 5 and a half ounces of leather, the effect of which would be greatly comparable to a man crushing grapes to make wine, with his feet.
In the 1870s, the first rudimentary ‘abdominal guard’ was used, and as the old joke goes, it took a hundred years for men to realise that their head was more important than their bits. That’s right – not until 1978 were helmets uniformly used. It was the Australian batsman Graham Yallopwho first wore won. He was roundly booed for doing so. Quite rightly – he was only facing Garner, Croft and Roberts in Bridgetown. Chicken.
Graham Yallop was defusing mines from the Barbados’ pitch – or was that Andy Roberts’ bouncers? - ESPNcricinfo
This is genuinely the helmet that Yallop used that day. Admittedly it looks like he was , but I think it looks good. Better visibility than the helmets of today surely?
However, Yallop was not the first person to wear a helmet – for at least two people before him designed and wore their own styles.
The first was the England and Middlesex stalwart of the 1920s and ’30s, Patsy. The guy played 51 Tests for England between the wars and hit 170 FC centuries overall – only Hobbs has hit more. He also wore a sort of helmet. I say sort of because, well…
Patsy’s protective headgear looks like Sherlock Holmes’ hat – the three peaks ready to ward off bumpers
Hendren wore this triple peaked beauty in county cricket, back in 1933. Not sure how effective it would have been, considering it was made out of rubber. However, what it would certainly have lacked in protection it makes up for in style – 8.5/10.
Hendren batting in his helmet. The more I look at it, the more I want it
Before they were commonplace, more cricketers trialled helmets out. The top picture for this post is of Sunil Gavaskar batting with a ‘helmet’http://www.universalorlando.com/images/L_Toys__HarryPotter_QuaffleBall_1229902.JPG
Mike Brearley’s helmet in the 70s – BBC
Mike Brearley too wore one – with a clear plastic plate in front of the nose, mouth and chin. Similar to Yallop’s design – clearly the early designers were taking into account the reduction of visibility that bars across the face would result in.
Not all cricketers were keen on helmets though. Tony Greig thought that they would make the sport more dangerous, as they would encourage bowlers to indulge in more short pitched bowling. He wasn’t wrong – there has been an increase in bouncers, and more pertinently, an increase in people going for the hook shot to the bumper, as they are wearing a helmet.
Today, it is rare to see an international cricketer not wearing a helmet against all types of bowling. On the odd occasion one will be privileged to see a cricketer in a cap – the sight of an Australian batting in his baggy green warms my heart. But on the whole, it is safety first, with all manners of designs being favoured by today’s batsmen.
Taylor uses an Ayrtek design, similar to Kumar Sangakkara - Daylife.com
This design, skilfully modelled by England’s very own James Taylor is one of the more fashionable attempts at a cricket helmet, as well as being practical. Sleek lines, a smooth curve for maximum aerodynamic…ness…
So where’s the future of cricket helmets? Thankfully, someone has that area covered already – check out this helmet:
I have no words - Gizmag
Give me this anyday!
@Don @fareena_01 @DuFFer @Iceage-TM @Asheer
This is a NEW SERIES!!
I’m going to be looking at each aspect of cricket fashion, equipment and style through the ages, explaining a little bit about it and showing some nice pictures. So a bit similar to my Old School Photo Albums Parts I and II - lots of pictures and a few words. Enjoy!
“Necessity is the mother of invention” said Plato, there or thereabouts. Back in the day, people needed to get stuff around easier and faster. So they invented those round things. Cricket is no different. People needed to stop getting shin bruises from the ball – they invented pads. They were also tremendously concerned over the danger of their testes hammered by 5 and a half ounces of leather, the effect of which would be greatly comparable to a man crushing grapes to make wine, with his feet.
In the 1870s, the first rudimentary ‘abdominal guard’ was used, and as the old joke goes, it took a hundred years for men to realise that their head was more important than their bits. That’s right – not until 1978 were helmets uniformly used. It was the Australian batsman Graham Yallopwho first wore won. He was roundly booed for doing so. Quite rightly – he was only facing Garner, Croft and Roberts in Bridgetown. Chicken.
Graham Yallop was defusing mines from the Barbados’ pitch – or was that Andy Roberts’ bouncers? - ESPNcricinfo
This is genuinely the helmet that Yallop used that day. Admittedly it looks like he was , but I think it looks good. Better visibility than the helmets of today surely?
However, Yallop was not the first person to wear a helmet – for at least two people before him designed and wore their own styles.
The first was the England and Middlesex stalwart of the 1920s and ’30s, Patsy. The guy played 51 Tests for England between the wars and hit 170 FC centuries overall – only Hobbs has hit more. He also wore a sort of helmet. I say sort of because, well…
Patsy’s protective headgear looks like Sherlock Holmes’ hat – the three peaks ready to ward off bumpers
Hendren wore this triple peaked beauty in county cricket, back in 1933. Not sure how effective it would have been, considering it was made out of rubber. However, what it would certainly have lacked in protection it makes up for in style – 8.5/10.
Hendren batting in his helmet. The more I look at it, the more I want it
Before they were commonplace, more cricketers trialled helmets out. The top picture for this post is of Sunil Gavaskar batting with a ‘helmet’http://www.universalorlando.com/images/L_Toys__HarryPotter_QuaffleBall_1229902.JPG
Mike Brearley’s helmet in the 70s – BBC
Mike Brearley too wore one – with a clear plastic plate in front of the nose, mouth and chin. Similar to Yallop’s design – clearly the early designers were taking into account the reduction of visibility that bars across the face would result in.
Not all cricketers were keen on helmets though. Tony Greig thought that they would make the sport more dangerous, as they would encourage bowlers to indulge in more short pitched bowling. He wasn’t wrong – there has been an increase in bouncers, and more pertinently, an increase in people going for the hook shot to the bumper, as they are wearing a helmet.
Today, it is rare to see an international cricketer not wearing a helmet against all types of bowling. On the odd occasion one will be privileged to see a cricketer in a cap – the sight of an Australian batting in his baggy green warms my heart. But on the whole, it is safety first, with all manners of designs being favoured by today’s batsmen.
Taylor uses an Ayrtek design, similar to Kumar Sangakkara - Daylife.com
This design, skilfully modelled by England’s very own James Taylor is one of the more fashionable attempts at a cricket helmet, as well as being practical. Sleek lines, a smooth curve for maximum aerodynamic…ness…
So where’s the future of cricket helmets? Thankfully, someone has that area covered already – check out this helmet:
I have no words - Gizmag
Give me this anyday!
@Don @fareena_01 @DuFFer @Iceage-TM @Asheer