The Complete Guide to Protective Equipment

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Harrassed by helmets? Baffled by boxes? Thrown off guard by thigh pads? Then look no further - a complete guide to everything you ever wanted to know about protective equipment is only a click away.

Our guide to batting gloves gives chapter and verse on such matters as:

How to care for your protective equipment

Size Guide The good news for those that are somewhat exhausted by the complexities of selecting the correct size of bat, pads and gloves is that ordering the correct sizes in the range of other protective equipment is relatively simple. With the exception of helmets, where a fairly simple measurement is required, boxes and thigh pads will follow the sizes of pads and gloves. A rule of thumb measure based on bat size is also available. Helmets For the young cricketer in particular, helmets are an absolutely essential piece of equipment. Look at the potentially career-threatening blow that Justin Langer took from Makhaya Ntini in 2006. Langer was hospitalised even although he was wearing a helmet. The consequences of him not using one are unthinkable. The crucial measurement is the circumference of the head as measured around the middle of the forehead (just above the eyebrows), moving around the sides (just above the ears) and over the ‘bump’ on the back of the head. This measurement equates approximately to helmet sizes as follows: Helmet Size Measurement (Head Circumference) Junior 20" to 21.25" 51cm to 54cm Senior 21.25" and Over 54cm and Over Thigh Pads and Abdominal Protectors/Boxes Ordering the correct size of thigh pads and boxes should be quite straightforward. Although there will inevitably be some young cricketers who break this rule of thumb, we would normally expect pads and gloves to be the same size - boy, youth, etc. You should therefore order thigh pads and boxes in the same size as pads and gloves. The size of bat used by the cricketer is also a good indication of the size they will need in a thigh pad or box, as follows. Please note the ambiguity around size 3 and 4 bats - a young player at the larger end of the scale for size three bats may be better served by Boy kit sizes and someone at the smaller end of the size four scale might still require Small Boy sizes. The ideal size depends on the size and shape of the individual - the table below is for guidance only. Bat Size Used Thigh pad/Box Size Required 3 Small Boy or Boy 4 Small Boy or Boy 5 Boys 6 Youth Harrow Youth Full Size Adult When ordering a thigh pad, don't forget that you need to choose the correct version for a left handed or right handed batter.

Buyer's Guide In our buyers' guide to other equipment, we focus on the three items that we believe should be mandatory, non-negotiable essentials in any cricketer's kit bag, but especially that of a young cricketer. It's clearly not practical for us to do so, but in a perfect world we simply wouldn't sell any other kit to cricketers - young or old, male or female - without evidence that the following three items were already nestling at the bottom of their kit bag! Helmet Whether riding a bike or a horse or a motorcycle or playing cricket, protecting the head is something that must be taken very seriously. Head injuries can change lives infinitely for the worse...and not just for the victim! The ECB recommend a helmet with a faceguard is worn AT ALL TIMES by anybody up to the age of 18 batting against a cricket ball. While a helmet definitely builds confidence against fast bowling batters are usually that much more cautious against this type of bowling and helmet strikes are relatively rare. Where helmets really earn their crust is against accidental full tosses, or top-edged sweeps or pulls...and don't forget that the more relaxed environment of the nets can make accidents more likely to happen. Our experience would suggest that there is no better route to shattering the confidence of young players than taking a blow to the head or face and we would urge parents not to compromise in this area. The following important elements need to be taken into consideration when selecting and using a helmet: Adjustability - a good helmet will be adjustable within a reasonable size range. It is important that it fits snugly on the head without either ‘drowning’ the cricketer or perching precariously on top of the head Fit - every helmet MUST have an adjustable chin strap to allow it to be held firmly in place. When properly sized and fitted, there should be minimal movement up and down or from side to side. This is important as cricket balls do not stop to ask whether the helmet fits properly and is securely fastened! At best a poorly fitting helmet may come off and hit the stumps - ask Kevin Pietersen about that one! At worst, a cricketer could be seriously injured or even killed! Protection - a protective metal grille is a mandatory and crucial element of a good helmet - a helmet is next to useless without one! These are usually adjustable via four nuts - make sure these are present at all times, being careful to ensure that the gap between the brim of the helmet and the top of the grille is not wide enough to allow a ball (an adult-sized or youth-sized ball, as appropriate) to pass through. If this gap is properly aligned to the eyes the bottom of the protective grille should extend below the level of the chin without impeding head movement. Be careful with this as we have seen many injuries caused by the ball getting under the lower end of the grille View - the gap between the top of the grille and the peak of the helmet should be aligned with the eyes and is designed to allow the cricketer to have an unimpeded view of the ball. Make sure that the wearer can see clearly though this gap - they may be safe but they aren't going to prosper if they can't see the ball! It is worth noting that cricket helmets, like other types of helmet, are supposed to be replaced if they take a significant blow. Thigh Pad Thigh pads are mainly about pain avoidance - lasting damage from a blow on the thigh is extremely unusual, even at high speeds. However, anyone who has ever suffered a dead leg will know that the pain is both debilitating and distracting. Many an innings has finished shortly after the batter's concentration is broken by a painful blow. PRO-Kit offer simple strap on thigh pads in right handed and left handed variants. Be sure to order the correct version! Thigh pads should be worn under the trousers in match situations, positioned on the outside of the left thigh (the one facing the bowler) for right-handed batsmen and on the right thigh for left handers. They have two straps - one that fastens around the waist and another that fastens around the thigh. As well as ordering the correct left hand/right hand variant, please be sure to order the correct size. A pad that is too small will not offer sufficient protection, whereas a pad that is too large will exacerbate any awkwardness felt by the wearer. The straps on the pad should be the correct length to hold it firmly in place without cutting into the skin. A strategically tied knot or two, or a fold and a few tacking stitches are ideal for temporary adjustments. Abdominal Protector or Box This is another item of protective equipment that simply isn’t up for discussion. In our opinion, every cricketer, young or old, male or female, must own a box and they must wear it...properly. It is a simple item, but it may well be the best couple of quid you will spend on cricket equipment for yourself or for your child! Without proper protection a cricket ball can cause lasting damage that can affect the rest of the unfortunate victim's life. It is perhaps less well-known that this type of injury has the scope to cause life-changing damage to female cricketers too. It is therefore equally important that girls and ladies own and use a box. Boxes can be held in place in a variety of ways. Jock straps, box briefs or box shorts (some of which can also accommodate a special thigh pad) are all specially designed for the job and should be purchased at an early opportunity. Good old fashioned briefs or pants - whilst not the greatest fashion statement - will also hold a box in place when 'shoved down the front'. However, boxer shorts are an absolute no-no. They cannot hold a box in place - indeed there is a special dance performed by those trying to wear a box in boxer shorts which culminates in the box being retrieved from the knee regions of the trousers. This is tantamount to not wearing a box at all!

Care Guide As important as they are in preventing potentially very serious injury, helmets, boxes and thigh pads are really very simple to look after. Their biggest enemy, in actual fact, is the kind of creeping, festering nastiness that lurks at the bottom of cricket bags. Bats, pads and gloves frequently get wet and dirty, either from sweat or damp wickets and nasty weather. Just the sort of conditions that mildews and fungi love! As these items are all worn near the skin reasonable levels of housekeeping are essential. Storing boots near any of this equipment is not to be encouraged as spikes and moulded soles are masters at inoculating kit with bugs. They collect dirt and mud, as well as healthy doses of all the bugs that live in such environments. Always try to clean boots thoroughly and store them separately to the rest of your kit if possible. Helmets Helmets are great collectors of sweat and the more successful the batter, the more sweat there is to deal with. As most helmets are also fitted with spongy padding to aid comfort and fit this problem is greatly exacerbated. In some cases, the internal padding can be removed - it can therefore be gently hand washed in a mild detergent. In cases where the padding cannot be removed, the interior of the helmet can be gently sponged clean with a damp cloth soaked in a weak, mild detergent or anti-bacterial solution. Care should be taken to avoid the plastic inner moulding of the helmet; in isolated cases some cleaning products could damage the integrity of the plastic, reducing the degree of protection offered in an impact. In all cases, day to day maintenance is as simple as ensuring that the helmet is allowed to dry out thoroughly and naturally as soon as possible after use and then stored in a sensible manner in a dry, reasonably clean environment. Thigh Pads Unfortunately we are still very much in sweat territory here. Thigh pads are usually made from sort form of foam-based padding which actually encourages sweating and then politely declines to absorb the sweat as it begins to accumulate. Any bugs on the thigh pad therefore find themselves in bug utopia - warm and damp, with a ready source of food. Without reasonable care and maintenance a dirty thigh pad can begin to irritate the skin on the thigh of its owner. PRO-Kit thigh pads have an absorbent towelling lining which sits next to the skin and keeps the wearer reasonably dry and comfortable. However, it does collect sweat and moisture and as a minimum should be allowed to dry out thoroughly after each use. After longer periods of use, the towelling can be gently rinsed in warm water with a weak, mild detergent or anti-bacterial solution. After washing. you should allow the thigh pad to dry out thoroughly and naturally. Store it in a sensible manner in a dry, reasonably clean environment. Abdominal Protectors/Boxes As sentinel at the gate of a very delicate piece of anatomy, it is doubly important that boxes are kept in a reasonably sanitary condition. Using a jockstrap, box briefs or box shorts is thoroughly recommended, especially if boxes have to be shared. Store boxes in a dry, reasonably clean environment and if cleaning is required, they can be wiped dry or gently sponged clean with a damp cloth soaked in a weak, mild detergent or anti-bacterial solution.

Damage & Warranty Assuming normal use and reasonable care you should expect to get at least one year's worth of use from your new protective equipment and growth spurts notwithstanding, the reality is that they should last several years. In the unlikely event of 'abnormal' damage or defective workmanship, the PRO-Kit warranty covers you for twelve months from date of purchase. Please refer to our 'Damage & Warranty' section for details on how best to address the matter.

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