World Cup: Aussies to Test new Helmet After Phil Hughes Tragedy
Australia will try out a new attachment to their helmets in their Pool A fixture vs New Zealand on Saturday
Australia's cricketers will get the opportunity to test a new helmet attachment designed in the aftermath of the Phillip Hughes tragedy, it was announced on Wednesday. (Complete World Cup 2015 coverage | Schedule | Points Table | Stats | Photos)
Cricket Australia high performance chief Pat Howard said that the clip-on attachment, manufactured by British company Masuri, is made of honeycomb plastic and foam and offers protection to the exposed back of the neck, the area where Hughes was hit in November last year. (Chappell-Hadlee trophy at stake in Saturday's clash)
Howard said that Masuri invested 240 hours of development time into "StemGuard". (Luke Ronchi relishes facing old Aussie mates)
"It's really quite innovative and some players have seen the footage and are very receptive to trying it," he explained. (Corey Anderson expects Aussies to sledge)
"It's got impact protection and comes down the side of the head. Players will be given an opportunity to try it out in a game outside an international, but work our way up."
Howard said Cricket Australia is working with the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ensure helmet standards set by the British Standards Institute are adopted worldwide.
Test player Hughes, 25, was wearing an outdated helmet when he was knocked unconscious by a bouncer and collapsed while batting for South Australia against New South Wales in Sydney on November 25.
He died two days later from bleeding on the brain, plunging the cricket world into mourning.