Michael Vaughan Slams ‘Ridiculous Suggestion’ to Ban Bouncer at U-18 Level, Explains Why it Will be Dangerous

The rising cases of players being diagnosed with concussion has led to the raging debate over whether the time has come for cricket to consider banning bouncer altogether.

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has thrashed suggestion that bowling bouncer should be banned in junior-level cricket. He argues that exposing youngsters to short-pitched deliveries straightaway at the senior level is a dangerous prospect and if one has to ban this kind of delivery, it should be across age-groups.

His comments are in response to a suggestion from concussion specialist Michael Turner, the media director of the International Concussion and Head Injury Research Foundation, who urged cricket authorities to consider banning the use of bouncers at u-18 level to avoid long-term complications.

“It is a ridiculous suggestion and yet another example of the world we live in these days where anything risky is deemed too dangerous,” Vaughan wrote in The Telegraph. “It would be much more dangerous for young kids to only be exposed to the short ball for the first time when they play men’s cricket at a high level. They just would not be equipped to face it.”

Vaughan argues that kids anyway don’t have the physical strength to bowl bouncers but they have to learn how to bat against the delivery. “I see kids coached at junior level and watch my son play. There is very little short-pitched bowling. The bowlers do not have the physical strength as kids to bowl bouncers and the pitches are too slow anyway,” he said.

“It is in the nets where young batsmen can be pinned but they have to learn to play the short ball. If we ban it at junior level then we have to ban it at elite level too,” he added.

The rising cases of players being diagnosed with concussion has led to the raging debate over whether the time has come for cricket to consider banning bouncer altogether. The tragic death of young Australia batsman Phil Hughes after being hit on the neck during a domestic match resulted in better protective helmets to ensure the safety of batsmen.

“Protective equipment is very good these days. We had one tragic incident involving Phil Hughes but it is very rare there is a serious injury caused by a bouncer. It does happen, but batsmen do not suffer the same repeated blows to the head as contact sports. The danger is bowling in T20. I reckon one day there will be a serious injury suffered by a bowler having the ball hit back at him,” Vaughan wrote.