The clip-on helmet guard worn by Chis Rogers when he was struck in the head during the second Test at Lord's "will be highly recommended for use by all Australian first-class cricketers when Cricket Australia adopts new guidelines," according to Chris Barrett of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Rogers had the stemguard, developed by British manufacturer Masuri, "attached to his helmet at Lord's last Friday when he was struck behind the ear where the device sits." The dizzy spell the 37-year-old experienced on the ground while batting two days later "was not a result of concussion from that head knock." That fact that the left-hander was wearing the safety device on his helmet "may well have served him well in absorbing the impact." Australia team doctor Peter Brukner said, "The initial scans have cleared him of any serious damage and we await the results of further tests. It appears the most likely diagnosis is a delayed ear problem related to being struck on day two of the Test match." What is also being reviewed behind the scenes is "the guidelines around what level of helmets must be worn in elite cricket." Having already commissioned a review into the circumstances of Phillip Hughes' death last November, which is being run by leading Victorian lawyer David Curtain QC, CA is "also planning to make the higher helmet standards set by the British Standards Institute compulsory for all players in first-class cricket by the start of the upcoming domestic season" (SMH, 7/21).
