Cricket pads are an essential buy for any cricketer serious about the game. While they may add to the cost of a good cricket kit, that cost is well worth paying given that cricket pads can protect you from injury. Cricket balls are incredibly hard and are bowled to batters at a fast pace, so it’s important to consider beyond how cricket pads should fit.
For that reason, we are delving into the world of how to properly wear cricket pads to ensure that they provide a proper level of protection. Buying cricket pads should not be an onerous task, but it may take time trying on different sets to find the right pair for you. The cricket experts at INTERSPORT can certainly help with that! There is a balance to be had between a set of pads that are strong enough to give you the optimal level of protection, but do not affect your ability to play proficiently. Pads have to allow a batter to run quickly between the wickets and move forward to play the ball freely.
What Is The Right Way To Wear Cricket Pads?
Wearing cricket pads correctly is essential if you are to gain the necessary level of protection from them. The section of the pad with the horizontal panels needs to be directly over the knee. It is so tempting, especially on growing children, to try to extend the lifespan of pads by having this section above or below the knee. The fact of the matter is that this puts the knee in danger of injury, and it’s a joint that’s keenly susceptible to harm. So remember, the knee panel needs to sit on the knee, and the section above needs to be covering a batter’s lower thigh.
To attach them to your legs, pads have velcro straps to fasten behind the shin. Velcro means you can wear them tighter or looser, which can depend on physique as well as needed comfort. The ideal position is where the leg is covered for protection and the straps are tight enough to allow free movement for running without being uncomfortable.
How Do You Put On Thigh Pads For Cricket?
Thigh pads are a different piece of equipment to the cricket pads seen on cricketers’ shins. Thigh pads, as the name suggests, sit higher up the leg and are often worn underneath the pants. They are quite lightweight and comfortable to wear. They prevent serious bruising should a cricket ball hit a cricketer on the upper thigh, where a cricket pad does not reach. It is attached via two straps, one around the waist and one around the inner thigh.
How Do You Soften Cricket Pads?
New cricket pads tend to be fairly stiff, but try not to be immediately put off by this. It is common and something that you get used to over time. Cricket pads can be worn-in so that batters find them more comfortable to play in. The key to softening them up is simply to play in them more. While this will not actually have any impact on their effectiveness in protection, it will get your body more used to how it feels to play cricket with pads on. At first, it can be an odd sensation, but that will lessen over time.
Other Key Pieces Of Cricket Equipment
There are several other pieces of a cricket kit that any potential cricketer will need if he or she wants to play to a high standard. Obviously, a cricket bat is vital, just like pads. The same has to be said of a cricket helmet. Though uncomfortable at first, they can help stave off the potential for a very serious injury caused by a knock to the head by a cricket ball. Wicket-keepers also like to use lightweight pads that protect their lower legs, much like a batter’s cricket pads.
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