Cricket, quite appropriately, has all sorts of pleasant associations: leisurely summer Sunday afternoons watching a match on the village green; the crack of the ball on the willow of the bat; the sound of applause and cheering when a middle-ranking batsman scores a beautiful six out of the blue. Such memories and associations are treasured by cricket fans and players alike.
They are not, however, the whole picture. For, behind what appear to be bucolic, relaxing scenes, players are fiercely competitive, and as any batsman facing a fast bowler will report, things don’t always happen that slowly.
In such circumstances, whatever the level of the game, good quality cricket equipment is essential. Thinking about fast bowlers, in the professional game they can deliver balls at around 100 mile per hour, whilst at lower levels the deliveries can still be pretty swift. In order to protect themselves appropriately and comfortably, batsmen need a decent pair of pads to start with. In particular, these provide a good guard for the shin bone.
Meanwhile, a good quality box, to safeguard a man’s sensitive area is vital. Ultra-lightweight models are available, providing increased comfort, whilst still ensuring a solid defence against those incoming deliveries.
Finally, batting gloves should also be included as part of any serious player’s cricket gear. They ensure fingers and hands are properly guarded against swooping incoming balls. Where these are concerned do get a pair which allows the fingers to bend, vital for forming those winning strokes.
