In the line of fire

In the age of slam-bang cricket, not only the players but umpires too need safety gear

At the Gabba in Brisbane in mid-December last year, Mitchell Starc struck an uppish but ferocious drive to an overpitched Umesh Yadav delivery. The pacer instinctively flung his hand to the right, only for the ball to whizz past him and crash into umpire Marais Erasmus's left wrist. The South African had swiftly tried to move out of the way the moment the ball left Starc's blazing willow, but the ball, almost mischievously, had followed him.

The pot-bellied Erasmus managed a mild chuckle before Nathan Lyon, the non-striker, put his arm around him to check if Starc's scorching hit had caused any damage. Thankfully for Erasmus, the ball had missed his head. He nonchalantly dismissed Lyon's concerns and the match trudged along. Had the man standing behind the stumps been batting instead of Starc, the result may have been cataclysmic. The humongous sweet spot of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's bat does pack a punch.

Erasmus himself must know that umpire safety is no longer a laughing matter. In actuality, it never was. In 2014, Israeli umpire Hilel Oscar died during a domestic match after being hit on the jaw. In 2009, Alcwyn Jenkins collapsed and later died in hospital after being struck on the head while officiating in a local game in Wales.

Pashchim Pathak clearly has no intention of meeting a similar fate. Last week, the 39-year-old umpire from Mumbai walked out to take charge of the game between Kerala and Haryana in the Vijay Hazare Trophy wearing a helmet. Baffled spectators and players watched on - in part wonderment, part hilarity. Pathak, though, had a reason to be worried.

Earlier this month, John Ward, an Australian umpire who was officiating along side Pathak in a game between Punjab and Tamil Nadu, was hit on the back of his head. He crumpled in a heap. Pathak made his mind up about the helmet almost instantly. "It was a sickening blow; very difficult to watch," recalls Pathak. "I realised that a helmet is necessary. If protective gear is available, why not use it?"

With willows increasingly becoming the size of baseball bats and batsmen swinging at almost everything that comes their way, umpires find themselves in precarious territory. A meaty blow from Dhoni or Glenn Maxwell's blade - often travelling in excess of 200 kmph - can knock out an umpire almost instantaneously.

Vinod Kulkarni, a Delhi umpire who is a regular at local matches, says that after the death of Phil Hughes last year, umpires have become more careful. "If Hughes could die in spite of wearing a helmet, you can imagine the kind of threat we are exposed to," he says.

Simon Taufel spent a better part of a decade as the world's top umpire. The affable Aussie, who is now umpire performance and training director at the International Cricket Council, says that the most dangerous position to be in the game of cricket is at the bowler's end. "The game has become more dangerous for umpires because batsmen are more attacking in their strokeplay now."

Taufel himself never felt the need to put on any form of protective gear during the course of his long career. But he adds that it is important to actively observe and respond to what is happening. Experts say that the heart, neck and the head are the most susceptible to injuries. While a helmet may not be the ideal solution, umpires can try out visors, which are significantly less cumbersome. Researchers at the Cardiff Metropolitan University in Wales are also working on gear - made out of non-foam material - for protection of the chest.

However, the road to safety is far from straightforward. Taufel argues that the vast majority of current protective gear is not suited for umpires. "Umpires spend half their time in a position where the equipment may not be needed," says the 44-year-old. "They also have to be able to use their peripheral vision a lot, which means things such as grills and low helmet peaks may cause problems in seeing the ball." Pathak adds that the helmet should be such that can enable you to hear nicks clearly.

Manufacturers too are not completely sold on the idea. "You will need to come out with a special design. And, we don't yet know about how acceptable it will be," says a spokesperson for BDM, one of the largest manufacturers of cricket equipment in India.

Concerns about umpire safety is a startling reality that ICC may have to address very soon. Umpiring was always a been hazardous job, but with the advent of T20 cricket and the reckless slogging that it encourages, it may have become dangerous as ever. Another Oscar- or Jenkins-like incident would be catastrophic.

ACROSS ARENAS

It is not cricket alone that is grappling with the problem of safety. In August, an umpire had to leave the field during a Washington Nationals game in Major League Baseball (MLB) after a pitch struck his protective mask. The pitch, delivered at 160 kmph, was missed by the catcher. The mask, clearly, did little to soften the blow. In a similar incident during a Boston Red Sox game last month, an umpire was hit in the midriff after he failed to pull out of a screaming line hit. He had to be carried off the pitch.

Even in field hockey, the chances of an umpire getting hit by a rasping drag flick that is miscued remain high. In the last couple of years, players defending penalty corners have started opting for protective masks and gloves. The umpires, however, have been offered little safety. Sohail Abbas, in his days as the world's greatest drag flicker, could belt one at 200 kmph.

Incidents such as the one in MLB seldom happen, but the aberrations can often be fatal. MLB, or the International Hockey Federation, have no policy that covers the safety of umpires. Officials would tell you that every sport comes with its share of hazards. But surely, safety measures can be improved.