The cricket ball is a heavy sporting object whose core is made of cork. It weighs nearly 163 grams. A cricket ball when hit with a good timing can travel at a speed of nearly 140 to 150 km/hr. Despite its weight and the velocity with which it travels, out of the ten fielders on the field, only the wicket-keeper is allowed to wear gloves.
Unlike baseball, in cricket, players are supposed to catch the ball with their bare hands. Only the wicket-keeper is allowed to wear leg guards or pads and webbed gloves of specific dimension in order to receive the ball. Any other fielder cannot wear protective equipment. If at all a fielder has injured his or hands, than he or she can wear a protective equipment only after the consent of an umpire.
The only other player on field who can wear gloves are the batters. For a batter, gloves are considered as an extension of the bat. Hence, if a ball is deflected through the glove and is caught by a fielder, than the batter is deemed out. Similarly, if a batter makes contact with the ball unintentionally and if the ball races to the boundary, then scores are added to the batter’s total too.
No gloves? But why?
One of the theories in forefront that explains the reason behind the fielders not wearing gloves is the correct technique with which players are supposed to catch the ball. The ball is caught by cupping it with both hands in a manner of receiving it at a time when the impact generated by the ball is the least. If an appropriate technique is employed, then even without gloves it is absolutely safe to catch the cricket ball.
