An on-field umpire was struck in the leg by a flying bat during a player’s exuberant outburst, causing a startling occurrence that has sparked new conversations about safety standards in cricket.
Because of the incident’s viral video, people are more aware of the risks that umpires may encounter.
A batter was celebrating after hitting the winning six, and he flung his bat into the air to celebrate during a recent game.
The umpire was on the other side of the field and about to call a six when the bat struck his leg, clearly hurting him. The hitter had already started to celebrate before the umpire had finished giving the customary six-point signal.
Like many sports, cricket has a high potential for bodily harm, which is why players wear a lot of protective gear. While wicketkeepers use gloves to control fast-moving balls, batters wear helmets, pads, gloves, arm protectors, and thigh pads. Since Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford made the method famous, umpires have also started to take precautions.
To protect his left arm, Oxenford created a unique lollipop-shaped arm protection. The device, which debuted in the 2015 World T20 warm-up match and was later spotted in the Indian Premier League, has a transparent protective shield and a black arm attachment. Although Oxenford finds it useful, other umpires don’t seem to agree with the device. Some people, like John Ward, an Australian, choose to wear traditional helmets for protection.
But accidents like the most recent flying bat show how unpredictable cricket may be, raising the possibility that the safety precautions in place are insufficient. The unanticipated character of these incidents highlights the necessity of continual assessment and improvement of umpire safety procedures.
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