The complacent response of the media to the death of
Australian batsman Phil Hughes, not least from the BBC’s Jonathan Agnew, is
perhaps to be expected. “It’s all part of the game,” seems to be the most common
reaction.
The felling of Hughes in Sydney by a fast, rising ball
highlights the appalling design deficiencies of protective helmets.
I was there in 2002 at the WACA in Perth when England’s Alex
Tudor was poleaxed by a 90mph delivery from Brett Lee. It was sickening. Poor
Tudor was never the same again.
That one went through the front of the visor, whereas the
Hughes blow struck him on the completely unprotected back of the head. Both
injuries happen not frequently, but on a pretty regular basis.
It seems that helmet manufacturers are more concerned with
turning out a product that looks cool than with real effectiveness. Perhaps the
death of Hughes will prompt the cricketing authorities and those manufacturers
into producing something that’s actually fit for purpose.
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