Pads

Cricket is an extremely painful game, despite the fact that it might seem to be rather simple. It goes without saying that this cannot be compared to competitions in MMA or hockey. Nonetheless, if the ball is unsuccessful in arriving and strikes the body, it will not seem to be a little amount.This is why cricketers also have protective gear. We will talk about one of its parts in this article – pads. In this article, we explore the following: how it is used, what it protects against and whether or not there are any comparable sports in which it is employed.

Cricket Pads: What It Looks Like, What It Protects From

One glance at the pads should be enough to understand what function they serve. They appear before us in the form of durable plates that are worn on the lower leg. Accordingly, we can conclude:

Pads are protective equipment used in various sports (cricket, baseball, hockey, etc.) to protect the feet from being hit by a hard object (ball, puck) launched at high speed. Failure to use this type of equipment can result in injuries to the legs’ shins, knees, and other parts.

There are two types of pads in cricket: some are used by batsmen, wicket-keepers use others. While this piece of equipment is only used in white during first-class cricket matches, it may be colored during limited overs matches. However, in first-class cricket, it is always white.

The following is a brief explanation of the distinction between wicket-keepers and batsman pads:

• Batsmen. In the middle of the 18th century, this piece of equipment for batters made its debut in England for the very first time. In order to protect the lower legs from the hard leather ball that is used for the cricket serve, the pads have been constructed specifically for this purpose. Bowler pitches were constantly evolving and could hurt the batsman’s knees and shins. As a result of the introduction of pads in gear, the Law of Cricket was updated to include a new firing technique known as LBW. The usage of pads by batters to deflect the ball away from the wicket came about in 1774, marking the beginning of this technique.

Protecting your shins, knees and lower thighs is the purpose of batsman pads. A space for the legs is provided in the base. In the modern era, this piece of equipment is constructed from synthetic materials that are both long-lasting and very lightweight. These materials include PVC for the exterior cover and polyesters for the lining. The majority of pads are equipped with three Velcro straps, which makes them simple to adjust and remove.

• Wicket-keepers. When wicket-keepers were first introduced, they also wore pads to protect their feet. Knee shields, on the other hand, have been discovered to hinder their agility and reduce their capacity to catch the ball over the course of time. When the ball struck the space between the flap and the wicket-keeper’s leg, there were even instances that were so bizarre and unique that they seemed unbelievable. For this reason, it was decided to change the pads. These pads are smaller than a projectile that is comparable for batters, and they have knee valves that are not very large. The pads that wicket-keepers use feature two straps rather than three; the first strap is located at the bottom of the pad, while the second strap is located just below the knees.

Now you know what pads are in cricket and how they are used there.

Pads In Other Sports

Of course, this type of equipment is not only in cricket. Here are some examples of sports that also use pads:

• Baseball and softball. Pads are an essential part of baseball and softball catchers. They are designed to protect the knees, legs, ankles and tops of the feet. Made of thick plastic.
• Hockey. The hockey goalkeeper wears large pads to protect him from low puck hits. However, they are designed in such a way as not to give the goalkeeper an advantage in defending the goal. Therefore they have size limitations.
• Field hockey. Here, outfield players use small pads to protect their shins. Goalkeeper pads are more similar to those used in cricket and hockey.

Pads are an essential piece of equipment since, in the absence of pads, the athlete will not be able to get full protection. In light of this, a great deal of focus is consistently directed at this apparatus.