Junior cricket rules are safe enough

SAFE: Wairarapa junior cricket players are safe on the pitch, always decked out in the correct gear. PHOTO/FILE

Parents of Wairarapa cricket players aren't flocking to sporting goods stores snapping up hard ball helmets like in other Kiwi centres because their kids are already in safe hands.

Although saddened by the death of cricketer Phil Hughes, Wairarapa Cricket won't be making any changes around safety guidelines for children.

It say its safety guidelines are adequate.

In the wake of the 25-year-old's tragic death last week, a national story featured stating concerned parents were buying up helmets for their cricket-playing children.

Wairarapa Cricket development manager Simon Roseingrave said not one parent had raised the issue with him and the association was "stringent" about adhering to the safety guidelines, which had been in place for many years.

Even though bounces weren't permitted in the junior game, every batsman and wicket keeper on the pitch has to wear a helmet.

Mr Roseingrave recalls a young wicket keeper from another district playing with a bandage on her face after her nose was broken by a ball when she wasn't wearing a helmet.

The compulsory helmet wearing isn't because of bounces, but risk of the ball flying off the bat and into the face, breaking teeth or noses, he said.

"If they come out without a helmet on they are sent off."

Junior players aren't at risk of fast bounce balls like adult cricketers, but if they didn't have safety rules there would be a lot of "large dental bills" around.

"There's a good reason for wearing them ... we don't want them breaking their front teeth."

What happened to Hughes was tragic but a rarity, Mr Roseingrave said.

"It's hard to recall anything like this happening."

He does admit to hearing the "odd bang" on a child's helmet.

"We get the odd thing happening but luckily they are wearing the helmet ... we have always been very stringent with the children's safety. It's very sad what happened to Phil Hughes but we don't feel we need to change anything."

If high "beamers" [fast-paced bowling without a bounce] to the chest are played, junior bowlers are warned.

Parents knew the "inherent risks" of playing cricket, with broken fingers the main issue, he said.

"Our parents are aware ... the first thing they do when their kids start playing is buy a helmet."