Chest Guards

It is a very, very small percentage of the cricket fraternity that wears any form of chest padding. Perhaps even less than 5 %. Chest pads are usually worn by high level cricketers such as Grade or First Class cricketers who are subject to extremely fast and short pitched bowling aimed at the ribs or head.

However, a chest guard can also add a certain amount of confidence to batter, knowing that they have suitable protection if they are hit in this area. It is also an extremely important item of protection to cricketers who already have injuries to the chest, such as sore or broken ribs, side strains or bruising from previous hits.[hidepost=1]

KEY POINTS

• Size
• Protection
• Comfort

COMMON PROBLEMS

• Young children buying chest guards suited for men.
• Applying the chest guard to the wrong area.
• Deciding what style of Chest guard to go for.
• Choosing a left handed chest pad for a right-handed batsman and vice versa.

CORRECTING THE PROBLEMS

• Instead of relying totally on protection of this type of padding, learning the correct batting techniques. Ultimately your bat if used correctly will offer you more protection than any other item of padding.
• Seek the advice of sales staff at reputable sports stores / cricket specialist or a qualified coach on whether a chest guard is appropriate and also what size and style is required.
• They can also recommend the best style of chest pad for you and show you how the item is properly applied and worn. They will also make sure that you are buying the appropriate pad for left / right-handed batsman

Most brands really only cater for the senior market as chest padding hasn’t always been considered a good option for juniors. Too much padding for young cricketers can end up being too bulky for proper movement. As suggested above the best way to deal with short bowling is to learn the proper techniques from a qualified coach or our own web site. However, specialist shops such as Kingsgrove Sports Centre do have chest pads from Small Boys up to Mens.

Designs

Most chest guards are now of similar design as opposed to old days where some chest pads were worn like “bullet proof vests” and were very bulky indeed. Most chest pads are now rounded and contoured to fit around the curve of the side of your body, protecting the area exposed to the bowler in your stance position.

Some chest pads come with two Velcro straps, but most modern designs now have the one, which straps around the whole of the body. It is very important that the chest pad you choose fits the shape of your body snugly. The chest pad, if worn correctly, will protect the side of your chest that faces the bowler, your ribs and the higher section of your back that is also exposed to the bowler.

Materials

The materials used are generally very light, as a bulky and heavy pad will restrict movement, which is important in handling short-pitched deliveries, and also running between the wickets. Pads are also shaped differently for the individual requirements of right and left handed batters.

Sizes :

As mentioned earlier, most brands do not cater for the junior player. However, specialist cricket stores may have certain brands that start from Small Boys (6 – 10 years), Boys (8 – 13) Youth (10 – Open age) and Mens (Open Age).[/hidepost]

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