Ashes 2019

[LP]

I don't get the players being hit side on, the best test player of the short ball in the world is Kholi, and he does it the correct way and basically tucks his chin into his chest and lets the ball smash the top of his helmet. Facing the ball and tucking his chin into his chest protects all critical surfaces and because you prepare for the hit it's generally not an issue.

At juniors we've been training kids to "headbutt" the short ball for years, we have a drill in which they pair off and one throws the ball at the other and they are asked to headbutt it back like a soccer ball. Or another drill is that three with one in the middle just offering a little weave left or righto get out of the way. It trains the kids to use their helmet as a defensive weapon.

I don't get how blokes get to 1st Class level and can't perform the sort of basics.