The thing that makes me wince about fielders at short leg is that, when they see the batsman really get hold of one, they turn away. Many will duck their head down as well, but I’ve seen a fair amount at Test level keep their head up - so they can see where the ball goes. This, to me, is just asking to be smacked on the back of the head.
Right, instinctive reaction. I guess subconscious tells front portion organs of the body (face, pelvis, abdomen) will hurt more than back portion on being hit.
At Test or first class level (even in my Club at 1st grade level) the short leg fielder (curiously enough, a role usually conferred on the team’s youngest batsmen) often has their kit full of stuff for the purpose.
This could include steel capped boots, full length shin pads and a helmet with the additional neck protection. One of the opposition fieldsmen was once sprung last weekend wearing arm guards under a long sleeved jumper and was asked to remove them.
When you are kitted out to this level are actually safer to stand your ground and don’t move, albeit overriding self-preservation instincts. You are no more likely to get hit that if turning your back/jumping and the impact is probably going to be taken on the protective equipment.
You are also in a better position to catch a rebound of your body.
However my view is the old fashioned one that fieldsman should neither be wearing any additional protection, nor should they be fielding that close.
Short leg fieldsmen are set almost always forward than behind square with cold calculation. If they were behind square they would be purely a catching position and much less effective.
Watched the funeral ceremony today, the speeches from Clarke, and Hughes’ friend and family.
Got a lump in my throat.
Thats universal lol.