Can You Play Cricket With Glasses? (Mystery Revealed)
Cricket is a fast-paced game, and as such good hand-eye coordination is essential, and so is increasing eye speed. If the batsman sees the ball a fraction too late, he can mistime the ball and lose his wicket. When it comes to fielders, if they cannot judge the trajectory of a ball, they can drop catches. Bowlers, too, need good eyesight so they can see the subtle trigger movements made by batsmen.
While good eyesight is necessary, some cricketers do have problems with eyesight. So with this in mind, one can only wonder whether it’s possible to play cricket with glasses.
You can play cricket with glasses. Athletes often wear glasses while playing cricket for better vision, protect their eyes from the glare of the sun, and protect them from impact eye injuries. Some models can also enhance the red color against the green background, making it easier to pick up the ball.
In this article, we will discuss all that relates to playing cricket with glasses. So, if this piques your interest in any way, sit back, relax, and read on to find out more because this will certainly be an enlightening read for you!
Are Spectacles Allowed in Cricket?
If you are an active person, you know that the most frustrating thing is not performing on a sports field or a track because their eyes let them down. This is why you should know that just because you wear glasses, it doesn’t mean you can’t participate in your favorite sports activity. Nowadays, a good number of professional athletes wear glasses or contact lenses when playing their sport. This makes it easy and possible to manage vision problems while still enjoying playing the game.
For the most part, the sports where glasses aren’t allowed are contact sports. There are way too many opportunities for the glasses to come off and break in sports such as rugby, soccer, hockey, etc. Most sports, however, are fine to wear glasses. This includes sports such as tennis, cycling, golf, etc. The nature of these games allows you to wear glasses while enjoying the benefits of corrective eyewear safely.
By now, you are probably wondering in what category cricket falls in when it comes to being allowed to play with glasses on. If so, I have just the answer you are looking for.
There is no law in cricket that says you can’t play with glasses on. There have been cricket players, and successful ones at that, who have and still play international cricket with their glasses on. It all has to do with comfort. If you can wear glasses and still run or bowl, bat, and field, there is nothing wrong with doing so. So to answer the question definitively, you are allowed to wear glasses while playing cricket.
If you are an avid cricket fan or player, then you probably know of the name Daniel Vettori. He’s one of the most disciplined and recognized cricket players in the world. He used to wear glasses, and as you probably already know, he’s one of the legends of New Zealand cricket.
Different cricket players have various reasons for wearing glasses while playing. Some of these include:
- For better vision– As we have already mentioned, just because you have poor eyesight doesn’t mean you can’t play your favorite sport. The most popular reason cricketers wear glasses during the game is for better sighting and viewing the ball while playing.
- To reduce the sun’s glare– Some cricketers usually wear polarized glasses to reduce the glare from the sun’s rays so as to prevent squinting while playing the game.
- To enhance the red color against the green background– Some glasses can enhance the red color of cricket balls against the green background of the field. This makes it easier to spot and pick up the ball.
- To reduce blur– Prescription glasses can help reduce blur, which has been proven to reduce performance in cricket.
If you play with glasses on, you will realize it’s a big improvement as opposed to playing without glasses. Your vision, including peripheral vision, becomes infinitely better. You are able to track the ball better while batting and fielding.
How Do You Play Cricket With Spectacles?
If you choose to wear glasses while playing cricket, there are a couple of things you need to be aware of.
One of the most important things is to notify your optometrist first. S/he will fit you with glasses that use durable and unbreakable polycarbonate for the lenses. Spectacles made out of glass lenses can break easily, which will. This can cost you a new pair or can cause damage to your eyes. So polycarbonate lenses are better because even if you accidentally knock the glasses off while playing, they are less likely to cause damage.
The frame is important too. The frame should be lightweight and comfortable, and it should fit firmly in your face so the glasses don’t slip down while you are playing. They should be wrap-around style with adjustable nose pads and temples. They should also allow airflow to prevent the lenses from misting. Oversized frames with deep lenses are preferred because they will offer you a wider field of vision.
It is also important to determine what kind of tint works best for you. Grey is a good choice for bright conditions, and it minimizes color distortion. Brown provides good color balance, high contrast and is soothing to the eyes. Yellow is most effective in low light and is good for contrast enhancement. Clear is good for shielding your eyes against the wind, dust, and other flying particles.
You don’t need any direction to know how to play cricket with your glasses on. Once you put on your helmet and glasses, you are good to go. Just make sure the glasses you choose have the qualities we have discussed above for optimum performance.
In conclusion, most cricketers wear Oakley glasses while playing. This is because they have a lens that’s optimized to see moving objects better. So you’ll be happy to know you can wear this glasses-or any others of your choice-while playing cricket.
My Favorite Cricket Equipment
Thanks for reading this article. I hope it brought you value that you can implement into your own life! Below you can find my favorite cricket equipment that I think you’ll like!
- Bat: My favorite cricket bat is the SS Kashmir Willow Cricket Bat, perfect for leather balls, beginners, and intermediate players. I’m not a competitive cricket player, so this affordable yet fantastic bat gets the job done. The best things about it are the blade size, weight, durability, and overall feel.
- Cricket balls: Pro Impact Cricket Balls are the creme of cricket balls. These balls are even fit for professional cricket matches, so the quality is incredible. For intermediate and better players, these balls are great. However, a traditional leather cricket ball may be hard to play for beginners and juniors. That’s why balls such as Nivia Hard Tennis Balls are made for cricket.
- Cricket shoes: Are you tired of focusing on your every step and fearing which step you will slip? When using the Kookaburra Pro 300 Cricket Shoes, you can forget all of that. These shoes are comfortable and slip-resistant; however, they won’t slow your movement on the field.
- Fan Equipment: If you’re a fan more than a player, you don’t want to miss Fan Equipment by Fanatics. You can find items from various sports that bear your favorite team’s logo, such as jerseys, gift ideas, or other surprising things.