Wearing of helmets is compulsory in the ECA.
We are receiving notifications from clubs, umpires and officials, that players are NOT wearing helmets in circumstances where they should. This is prevalent in the those grades where there are no official umpires.
This attitude needs to change.
In a recent match we had a player, who was not wearing a helmet, receive a hit in the head. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured, but it could have easily have had a lot worse repercussions than it did.
If players are not prepared to wear a helmet for their own protection, they need to consider the impact on the bowler if someone is seriously hurt. If players believe that what happened to Phillip Hughes can not happen to them, they are sadly mistaken & misguided.
The ECA encourages captains & teams who opposition players do NOT wear helmets when applicable, to report it to the ECA, so action can be taken & fines imposed.
Here is the relevant rule:
3.11.6
All Players are to wear helmets in the following circumstances:
i) When fielding close to the bat, within 10 metres of the wicket (ie. Silly mid on, silly mid off, short leg, leg slip etc) but not slip & gully fielders;
ii) When wicketkeeping within 3 metres of the wicket;
iii) When Batting against fast or medium pace bowling. If necessary, whether the bowling is fast or medium pace will be determined by the official appointed umpires or, in their absence, the batting captain. Failure to comply with this rule shall be reported by the official appointed umpires or, in their absence, either captain to the Operations Manager by 8pm on the Monday following the incident. The Executive Council will then determine what penalty, if any, to impose on the club and the player(s).
John Franklin