The International Cricket Council (ICC) recently introduced a safety gear for the umpires of the game—a protective shield that is strapped on to the left arm to parry or block shots hit in the umpire’s direction.
Australian umpire Bruce Oxenford walked into the Eden Gardens on Sunday wearing the green shield ahead of the Australia-West Indies warm-up match.
The fierce-hitting format of the game puts the umpire on the pitch in constant danger. Recently, an Australian umpire John Ward was hospitalized after he was hit on the head while officiating a match between Australia and India. Post the incident, ICC urged the umpires to wear helmets—especially during a T20 game—in the interest of the umpires’ safety. The shield’s introduction is another valuable step in the same direction.
An umpire and former captain of the Israeli cricket team died after he was hit by a ball that was struck by the batsman. An umpire needs to pay attention to so many things that he may not always be able to react in time to a ball hit in his direction. The shield is a great safety gear for the umpires as it will certainly help avoid brutal accidents.
