A flying bat struck an on-field umpire on the leg in a surprising event that has prompted discussions about cricket’s safety precautions.
The video clip of this occurrence has gone viral, putting a spotlight on the risks faced by umpires.
During a recent match, a batsman threw his bat into the air after hitting the winning six as part of his celebration.
While preparing to signal six from an opposite end of pitch; he had landed on his leg and it was clear that he was very uncomfortable. The batter’s celebration had begun before the umpire could even finish his customary signaling for a six.
Like other sports, cricket is risky and players have to wear protective clothing. Batters dress in helmets, pads, gloves and arm guards with thigh pads while wicket-keepers use gloves for catching balls traveling at high speeds. Umpires too have started adopting these measures where Australian chief groundsman Bruce Oxenford is credited with popularizing them.
Oxenford made an arm guard shaped like a lollipop to protect his left arm. Initially introduced during the 2015 World T20 warm-up match then later seen in IPL matches, this device has got black arm attachment and transparent protective shield. Nevertheless, such gear has not been widely adopted by other officials as was evident among some like fellow Aussie John Ward who prefers regular headgear instead.
Bruce Oxenford wearing one of his protective gears
However, incidents like the recent flying bat highlight unpredictable dangers within cricket raising questions about whether existing safety systems are exhaustive enough. Such accidents come out of nowhere necessitating constant assessment and improvement of umpires’ safety procedures again and again.
