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[play-yourself-in]

The new league I'm about to start playing in stipulate that you must wear a helmet whilst batting.  This is something I have never done before (I'm quite old so played youth cricket way before the rule was bought in).

I've got a helmet but it feels so strange wearing it and God only knows how I'll get on batting with it.  At the moment to help me get used to it I'm wearing it around the house...God knows what the neighbours must think.

Any other pearls of wisdom on this subject, apart from net or practice in it?

Cheers

[WalkingWicket37]

If you find the grill obstructs your vision, simply put it on back to front like a 90s rapper wearing a baseball cap!

I say that in jest but I'd there any stipulation it has to be a cricket helmet? If you can't get on with it maybe a baseball stole helmet would be an alternative.

[trypewriter]

I was in the same boat, but you just get used to them.

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Takes a while before you start looking past the grille, bit like when you 1st start wearing glasses and notice them but after a while they become 2nd nature.

[smilley792]

Your doing the right thing. Wearing it around the house.

Just make sure it's doing some thing, make the tea do the garden. But of decorating.


Once your mind is on other things the grill will disappear and help you focus elsewhere.

[mcgill123]

I'm going to wear one for the first time this season, when I did my first net with it on I thought I was going to have to bin the idea, couldn't see past the grill, second net I wore it I forgot I had it on and didn't notice the grill or the extra weight.
Try a few nets and hopefully you will be good to go by the start of the season.

[Buzz]

It took me about 5 years to find a lid I liked and 2 or 3 seasons of wearing it before I scored a ton wearing a lid. I then broke the lid in the next game.
Argh.
Good luck!

[brokenbat]

The new league I'm about to start playing in stipulate that you must wear a helmet whilst batting.  This is something I have never done before (I'm quite old so played youth cricket way before the rule was bought in).

I've got a helmet but it feels so strange wearing it and God only knows how I'll get on batting with it.  At the moment to help me get used to it I'm wearing it around the house...God knows what the neighbours must think.

Any other pearls of wisdom on this subject, apart from net or practice in it?

Cheers

I would watch TV with my Masuri VS. Great way to get used to it, and its fun to wear new kit around the house! Also goes without saying....wear it all the time in the nets, even for throw downs etc.

[InternalTraining]

Which helmet has the best vision? When I lower my head to play shots under my nose, the grill hits my chest ALL THE FLIPPIN' TIME!!! This leads to helmet bouncing all over my head. This protection comes at a steep cost to your ability to keep your head still and gaze focused on the point of contact. Cricket gear lacks technological innovations and progress! Everything is decades old.

[Ayrtek Cricket]

Which helmet has the best vision? When I lower my head to play shots under my nose, the grill hits my chest ALL THE FLIPPIN' TIME!!! This leads to helmet bouncing all over my head. This protection comes at a steep cost to your ability to keep your head still and gaze focused on the point of contact. Cricket gear lacks technological innovations and progress! Everything is decades old.

Not strictly true, the compromise between passing the new test and the designs required restrict helmet manufacturers. Whilst our original design grille passed the penetration testing section at the peak/grille it sat too close to the chin of the headforms no-contact zone so we had to move it further away from the chin to pass in this area.

It's v frustrating as everyone's head shape and size differ, with the old design the bottom bar was nowhere near my chin personally ( I could for 3 fingers between the gap) you are obliged to confirm to what in the lab as that's where they set the standard to test too.

Mahela for example used to wear a youth size lid where the grille practically sat on his face, with new procedures this would fail testing as the grille would hit the face when having a ball fired at it.

[thegowerwaft]

I would watch TV with my Masuri VS. Great way to get used to it, and its fun to wear new kit around the house! Also goes without saying....wear it all the time in the nets, even for throw downs etc.

Agree with this. When I first started using one, I even wore it when throwing a tennis ball against a wall. Make this harder by using a middling bat/ stump instead of your bat or use a smaller ball. Next to no time, I forgot I had a lid on. Good luck, it is a sensible move!

[Slogger]

I once played in a competition with the same rule. I'm only 26 so played ALL my junior seasons in a helmet and never seemed to get past the grill. I stopped wearing a helmet halfway through my second year as a senior and never looked back.
In the lead up to the competition I tried training in one but really struggled. A team mate gave me an idea as the rule didn't stipulate that the helmet had to have a grill. I tracked down some of those rigid plastic ear guards and replaced a helmet grill with them. I wore that helmet all season (including finals) and it never became an issue. Maybe an option?

[19reading87]

When I played junior cricket you had to wear a helmet ( I was playing against a lot of lads who were in the county set up ) so I've always just carried that into adult cricket. Personally I love wearing one as I tend to think it puts you into your own little bubble

[hilly_2015]

I only tend to wear a helmet when we end up playing a team with a nippy bowler. Otherwise I do without. Needless to say, I've never had a high score wearing one.

[Seniorplayer]

I have 6 helmets  all different makes and couldnt   get used to any of them because I lost the ball in the grill in particular when looking downwards so I've lowered the grilles slightly to improve  my vision which has made a big difference but the ball can just about get through what tends to happen though is when the ball hits the top bar of the grill  rather than go through the gap the  ball is deflected  upwards into the peak of the helmet not an ideal solution but for me the slight risk of the ball getting through  the grill is worth it for  the extra visability gained.