Cricket Australia’s neck guard rule pressures Smith and Warner to comply

Veteran batters Steven Smith and David Warner, who have previously refused to wear neck guards, could be forced to do so under Cricket Australia’s new mandatory rule from October 1. Starting October 1, 2023, all Australian cricketers, both international and domestic, will be required to wear neck protectors when facing fast or medium pace bowling in any CA-sanctioned competition. The regulation update came a week after Cameron Green was struck on the neck guard by a Kagiso Rabada bouncer and substituted out of the first ODI against South Africa with concussion. The move will impact several Australian players, including David Warner, Steve Smith, and Usman Khawaja, who have resisted using neck guards since their introduction in 2015.
CA will make wearing neck protection at international training and matches mandatory via a change to its clothing and equipment regulations, the report said. One of the numerous changes made to CA’s playing rules in advance of the 2023–24 season is the requirement for neck guards. Another change is the elimination of the automatic six rule in Big Bash Leagues (BBL) when a ball hits the roof at Marvel Stadium; instead, umpires will use their discretion to determine whether the ball crossed the boundary. Time limits on injury stoppages and streamlining stumping reviews were a few other changes introduced in the Big Bash Leagues to speed up the play.