Although the subject of umpire safety has failed to receive a great deal of attention, former leading cricket umpire Simon Taufel has claimed that he can see a day in the future when umpires would consider wearing helmets or other protective gears in order to save themselves from the dangers of being exposed to an increasing number of powerful bats and hard-hitting batsmen.
Despite an incident last November when former Israel captain Hillel Oscar was killed while umpiring after a ball ricocheted off the stumps at the bowler's end and struck him in the neck, the subject of umpire safety has not received a great deal of attention.
However, the safety concern remains at the back of many umpires' minds, as they watch the likes of David Warner and Chris Gayle blazing away at close quarters, both at matches and during training, Stuff.co.nz reported.
Sydney umpire Karl Wentzel has reportedly for years worn a helmet in Australia's first-grade competition after having five teeth knocked out when hit at the bowler's end in 2001.
Taufel, who now coaches the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires, said that similar measures could well be adopted at international level at some point. He said that he wouldn't' be surprised in the future, if it continues the way it's going, where umpires start looking at that.
However, Taufel, who was judged ICC umpire of the year for five straight years between 2004 and 2008, claimed that that's an individual call they have to make. He said that the nets are the most dangerous places for them now, insisting that Virender Sehwag, Gayle, Warner are probably some of the biggest hitters of the ball and they just go into the nets to actually practice those shots.
