Fast Bowling Claims His First Cricket Kill
The recent death of Phillip Hughes after he was hit by a short pitch at a local Sheffield Shield game in Sydney, Australia, signifies the dangers of the modern game of cricket and the need for some changes to reduce injury risks.
Hughes was hit on the back of the head in an area unprotected by his helmet. His death was an accident and bowler Sean Abbott was not at fault.
Cricket is traditionally known as the gentlemen’s game and is supposed to embody all that is fair and just in sport. However, the commercialization of the game in the 1970s replaced sportsmanship with the “win at all costs” principle. This precipitated a greater reliance on fast bowling, as it was the most effective way to satisfy the desire to win, which in turn increased the dangers for hitters.
BODY LINE
The first major incident of dangerous short-distance bowling was the 1932/33 Ashes tour of Australia (known as the Bodyline series). English fast bowlers Larwood and Voce, in order to counter the extraordinary skill of Australian great hitter Don Bradman, deployed a leg side body bowling tactic to get a deflection and have several fielders catch him behind of the squad. leg.
This tactic was effective but contrary to the chivalric traditions of the game and for the next two decades the tactic was outlawed by cricket laws.
Although prohibited, Bodyline left an ugly legacy. Since then, there have been numerous cases of injuries resulting from short distance bowling. For example, in 1962, the international career of Indian captain Nari Contractor ended after he was hit by a rising ball from Charlie Griffith in Barbados. English hitter Andy Lloyd never played again after being hit by a Malcolm Marshall short pitch ball in 1984 at Edgbaston and England’s Alex Tudor was hit by a Brett Lee pitch at Perth 2002 that also ended his career.
THE UGLY SIDE OF CRICKET
With large amounts of money coming into cricket in the 1970s, winning became paramount and teams increasingly used intimidating fast bowling as it was very effective in beating opponents. This tactic was also exciting and was considered good for the game as it made cricket (especially one-day cricket) more attractive. The teams with the most firepower always won and drew the biggest crowds.
A cricket ball consists of cork covered by leather and is hard and solid. As we saw in the case of the death of Phillip Hughes, he is capable of inflicting serious injuries if he hits a batter in an unprotected area.
Fast bowlers play at speeds of 90-100 mph. They are strong cricketers and what they throw among other unpleasant things is a delivery called the ‘gorilla’. They do this by hitting the ball in the middle of the field with all the force they can muster so that it rises to chest or head height when it hits the batter. The purpose of this is to bring fear to the batter’s mind so that he is convinced that, all things considered, he is better off seeking the safety of the pavilion. It is not pulled at the stumps, but is aimed at the scalp.
In the mid-1970s, the most famous pair of fast-bowling violence were Australians Jeff Thomson and Dennis Lillee. In two consecutive winters they humiliated England and the West Indies and propelled Australia to the top of world cricket. At home, they played on specially prepared grounds, in front of crowds shouting “kill, kill, kill” and were assisted by native umpires who gave little protection to visiting hitters.
After their 5-1 defeat of Australia in 1975/76, the West Indies quickly learned the lesson that it was fast bowlers who won games. They learned their lesson well. They modified the tactic and from now on deployed a full-throttle bowling attack working in tandem with the idea that the relentless pace would wear down batters and make it more difficult to protect not only their grounds but also their personal safety. This new tactic led to the dominance of West Indian cricket for nearly two decades.
NECESSARY CHANGES
Body-threatening bowling has become an accepted part of the bat-ball fight in modern cricket.
It’s unfortunate that Phillip Hughes paid the ultimate price to play the game he loved. To avoid a repeat of this tragedy, further changes must be made to provide more safety for hitters:
First, young players must learn to evade or play short field bowling. Due to the prevalence of one-day cricket, there is too much front foot play and it is not known how to bowl faster with the rear foot or how to crouch or balance to avoid a ball (ABConline – Phillip Hughes Injury: Attack Approach and lack of evasive techniques that put younger cricketers at risk of injury; by Rene Ferdinands, November 26, 2014).
Second, cricket helmets are not foolproof and their design needs to be modified to provide more protection for unprotected areas, such as the back of the head, to prevent a repeat of the Hughes tragedy.
Third, referees must make greater use of their powers and enforce the laws of the game more strictly, especially to stop the excessive use of gorillas.
Contrary to what some people suggest, you don’t need to change the rules and ban shortstop bowling. It is necessary to maintain a certain amount of fear as part of the game, but hopefully the price to maintain it will not be too high.
Victor A. Dixon
December 2, 2014