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[eukaryote76]

Also interesting to hear from our Aussie members how this has been received?

Much the same as UK. Most that I have spoken to agree that the greatest risk is in the nets and top edging at anytime (nets or match). Most under 30 have been brought up with helmets, parents expect them, everyone agrees that technique's what is meant to protect you, but that PH tragedy reminded us that accidents can happen to the best of us. Just as helmets are the norm for youngsters now, so additional protection if supplied as standard will become the norm for the next gen. Grown men their own decisions. I watched a new guy from the subcontinent in nets without a helmet try and sweep a full length ball with his eyes closed, only for it fly over his left shoulder. He smiled and carried on.

[eukaryote76]

I imagine he doesn't wear a box either, or indeed that one has been conceived large enough to encapsulate those cahonas.

[KarlPennington]

Bravado? Nah. Plenty of people don't wear cycling helmets (although whole different can of worms) - some people just don't like wearing a lid. I've played with/against plenty young enough that they grew up having to wear one and still prefer batting without. What's an acceptable risk is different for different people, no point getting righteous about it when it's not your head that's affected.

Hmmm, I'm not getting righteous about it... I'll give you an example. A couple of seasons ago my brother who is a much better player than I am insisted on not wearing a helmet. He was 100% confident he could deal with the bowling our league had to offer. I didn't like watching him go out to bat without a helmet. It wasn't my head but it was my worry that sooner or later he was going to wear one. Every game and every net session I kept on saying to him "Where is your helmet, why do you think you don't need to wear one, even the best players can get hit why does that not apply to you?" I walked into our club one day and his eye was a mess, red, swollen, bloodshot, scarred. One popped off a good length he explained to me... Luckily, he said for whatever reason I decided to wear my helmet today so it could have been an awful lot worse.

I know it's not my head and it's each individuals choice but if one of my team mates gets hurt it's not nice is it. Yes I could say, well it was their choice but it's still not a nice thing to happen. Like if somebody gets hurt in a car accident when not wearing a seatbelt again it's their choice but the outcome is still grim.

Another angle on this... I hate bowling at people with no helmet, again not my head, but for me to deal with if an accident happens and they get injured off my bowling... If you want a game of high octane cricket go and bat with no pads on, yes you'll come away with some bruises but it might improve your footwork!!!!

[six and out]

Another angle on this... I hate bowling at people with no helmet, again not my head, but for me to deal with if an accident happens and they get injured off my bowling... If you want a game of high octane cricket go and bat with no pads on, yes you'll come away with some bruises but it might improve your footwork!!!!

Yep that is also a good discussion point about it - last season we played the side bottom of the league at their place on a ropey (but quick) pitch to say the least (we batted 1st so i saw 1st hand opening the batting what it was like).

Then one of their openers came strolling out with no lid on - i felt that as captain it was my duty to tell the umpire that he should recommend the batsman go and put a lid on. The Umpire did so and the guy said he never where's a lid and will be fine. In the 2nd over he got hit in the shoulder and then called for a helmet!!

[KarlPennington]

It's good that you took it upon yourself to say something. I suppose you did all you could in that situation.

[arsenal123]

Yeah, I refuse to bowl at lower team batsmen in winter nets without a lid on.  I spray it around a touch as a keeper who occasionally bowls. 

At uni nets I bowled a back of a length ball to our best batsman who decided to bat with no lid on due to the average bowlers in the net.  Suffice to say, he top edged a ball into his eyebrow with claret everywhere!

[Stumper]

I wear a helmet on my motorbike, not because it is the law, but because it is the responsible a sensible thing to do. I wear full leathers, amoured boots etc in all weathers it is not law to do so, but it is the responsible and sensible thing to do. When I see people that ride bikes without such protection i really wonder why they think it will not happen to them. I use the very same philosophy when playing cricket, I wear a helmet because i do not wish to spoil my afternoon and a possible visit to the hospital or dentist or worse the graveyard, I wear an arm guard not that i have ever been hit on the forearm, but I am not an "after the horse has bolted" kind of guy.