Would you bowl a bouncer under my conditions?

Question

I have been playing cricket for about 8 years now in oz and I have just completed my first full season as a senior player.

One problem I have though is that in senior cricket helmets are optional and thus about 50% of batsmen don't wear a helmet. I bowl good pace and often use a bodyline bouncer as a suprise ball to get a wicket however as of yet I have not bounced a batsmen without a helmet as I do not want to cause serious injuries (i've seen a keeper hit in the face without a helmet, it's not pretty, ambulance and everything)

So what would you do, bounce a batsmen with no helmet (considering I do bowl pace) or just remove this element of attack from my bowling arsenal

Answer 1

One point I shall raise is that the best bouncers are often aimed at the chest and not the head.

Answer 2

I don't think bowling bouncers to a batsman without helmet is not a wise decision as it can cause injuries. Instead of bouncers,you can bowl straight deliveries and thus try to get a wicket.

Well,that's what i thought....

Answer 3

I think it's the batsmen's disgression to bat with or without a helmet. I think the sporting thing to do would be to let the batsmen know, "got a helmet cos I like to drop it in short?".

Playing at a senior level you would assume all batsmen have access to a helmet. So it's a choice made by them (a silly one!).

I think ultimately the main point is, you don't want to cause injury, so with this in mind I would only bowl them to batsmen with helmets or a batsmen that I want to pin on the back foot using a shorter delivery that doesn't HAVE to be directed at the head.

Answer 4

no.dangerous.definetly not.

Answer 5

yeah

Answer 6

If the batsman chooses not to wear a helmet, thats his perogative. I have never had a problem bouncing batsmen without helmets, nor do I have a problem bouncing tailenders, because I don't wear a helmet myself and I'm comfortable with the knowlege that the opening bowler who nearly had his head taken off by me will more than likely try to retun the favour.

It's all part of the game & if  batsmen worry about getting hit, maybe they should consider lawn bowls or flower arrainging ;)

Answer 7

I was in the same position a few years ago; I eventually came to the conclusion that it is their choice not to wear a helmet. The bouncer is a legitimate delivery, and one that you have to expect as a batsman. If they're not wearing a helmet it is presumably because they think that they can handle anything that comes at them. Would you go out to bat without one?

There were a couple of times where the ball only just missed them, but believe it or not all they did was swear at me/themselves, or laugh it off. Not once did they request a helmet to be brought out.

It's not your fault that they don't protect themselves, it's their call and they take the risks.

Answer 8

Its not your fault that the batsmen are not wearing their helmets and you are not trying to kill them. So just go about with yournormal bowling style. Why do you bother about the others?

Answer 9

No way. Causing damage knowingly to someone is unethical.