Dennis Amiss: The first cricketer to wear a helmet on the 50th anniversary of the 1974/5 Ashes
Flashback to Brisbane Cricket Ground, 50 years ago today, as the 1974/5 Ashes series began.
When Dennis Amiss walked out to open the batting for England, he had no idea that the brutalities ahead would leave a lasting impact on the sport.
The fierce onslaught from Australia’s fast bowlers throughout the series would not only define the contest but also inspire the introduction of helmets in cricket.
Dennis Amiss arrived in Australia in exceptional form, boasting a Test average of 52. The previous year, he set a record for the most runs in a calendar year. In 1974, he had already scored five centuries, including a remarkable 262 not out against the West Indies.
However, he soon discovered that simply surviving the Australian bowling attack was a challenge in itself.
“Facing those fast bowlers in ’74/’75, the Aussies even said: ‘Rather you than us facing them’,” Amiss told the Sports Gazette.
David Tossell’s new book, Blood on the Tracks, chronicles the entire gruesome story. He quotes the 1975 edition of the Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, which captured the scene perfectly:
“Never in the ninety-eight years of Test cricket have batsmen been so grievously bruised and battered by ferocious, hostile short-pitched balls.”
Dennis Lillee and Jeff Thomson
At first glance, Australia’s bowling attack didn’t seem particularly intimidating. Dennis Lillee was returning from a career-threatening back injury and had not taken a wicket since January 1973. While there were murmurings about another bowler, Jeff Thomson, he was still relatively unknown.
What followed, however, defied expectations. Lillee and Thomson proved to be one of the most lethal partnerships in Test history. They ruthlessly dominated the England side, leaving them broken and bloodied.
Amiss recalled the damage they inflicted throughout the six-match series: “Two great fast bowlers, Thommo and Lillee. They were so fit and strong, and Thommo got great bounce.
“It was aimed quite a bit at the body, but also at the head. We took a few knocks; I got a broken finger in the first test match. Colin Cowdrey came out as an emergency replacement and got his ribs cracked, as did John Edrich.
“Keith Fletcher was hit on the head in Sydney off a fairly short-length ball. But they got so much bounce on those Australian wickets, which are much harder and bouncier than English wickets. He was concussed and got out the next ball – it wasn’t a pretty sight.”
Few emerged unscathed as the Australians stormed to a 4-1 series victory, reclaiming the Ashes.
“I spoke to Sir Leonard Hutton, who was out there,” Amiss added, “about the Bodyline series in Australia in the 1930s. He said: ‘Well, that was Bodyline; this is Headline. They’re aiming at your heads this time.’”
World Series Cricket and the introduction of helmets
Before Amiss, players had experimented with protective headwear. In 1933, batsman Patsy Hendren wore a rubber cap with padding to face the West Indies. In the 1950s, cricket fan Bruce Miles designed a helmet, believing it would make batters less afraid, thus giving them an advantage, but it was never worn.
It wasn’t a new concept, but given the growing pace of bowlers and the head injuries that occurred, it’s surprising they took so long to catch on.
Nari Contractor, for instance, captained India to a series win over England in 1962. Just two months later, a blow to the head ended his career. The ball fractured his skull, causing a blood clot that pressed against his brain and paralysed him from the waist down. While his life was saved, his international cricket career was abruptly cut short.
It would be another 15 years before Dennis Amiss became the first cricketer to wear a helmet in the modern era.
In 1977, Australian media tycoon Kerry Packer, launched World Series Cricket, a ground-breaking new international competition.
Amiss had come across a helmet manufacturer and said: “When he was talking about the latest Kevlar helmets, I thought we might use them in World Series Cricket, because there were 18 fast bowlers who could all bowl 90-plus miles an hour.
“Having been in Australia and seen the horrific damage they did to us, I asked Tony Greig if he’d be interested in me bringing helmets out. I never thought it would catch on, but he spoke to Kerry Packer, who said: ‘Yes, the more innovation the better, because we’re going to have night cricket, white balls and coloured clothing. If it’s helmets they want, bring them out.’
“Straight away, I got, ‘Hey Amiss, where’s your motorbike?’”
In those days, they were customised motorbike helmets with a fiberglass visor. Made of Kevlar, they were extremely heavy, hot, and the players couldn’t hear a thing.
“In Australia, you couldn’t wear them for very long without taking them off and having a breather when you were the non-striker. When we were in Mildura, it was so hot, and I’d worn it all morning. If the umpire hadn’t said: ‘That’s lunch, gentlemen,’ I think I’d have passed out.”
The David Hookes incident
The key moment in popularising helmets came when David Hookes suffered a severe injury during a 1977 World Series match. The Australian was facing the West Indies, and had batted brilliantly before Andy Roberts delivered a fast bouncer that struck Hookes on the jaw.
Kerry Packer personally drove him to the hospital, where fractures to his jaw and cheekbones were revealed.
“David Hookes came back after supping through a straw for six weeks and said: ‘Can I borrow your helmet?’ I said: ‘Of course you can.’ He went out in it and faced Andy Roberts again – same bowler, same ball, straight at his head – and he hooked it out the ground for six.”
Amiss added: “Richie Benaud was commentating at the time, and said: ‘That’s a defining moment in the game of cricket, because here he is, he’s had his jaw broken, been supping through a straw for six weeks, and he’s come out with a helmet on, which has given him all the confidence in the world and hooked it for six.’”
Packer then purchased helmets in bulk from the same English manufacturer used by Amiss, and they started becoming the norm. Australian batsman Graham Yallop was then the first to wear one in a Test match, in 1978. Sir Viv Richards, meanwhile, who retired in 1991, was the last top-level batsman to never wear a helmet.
The tragic death of Philip Hughes
This week also marks 10 years since the death of Philip Hughes, who died in 2014 – just three days before his 26th birthday. Tipped as a generational talent, the Australian batsman had already played in 114 first-class matches, scoring 26 centuries.
He was struck below the helmet by a bouncer during a Sheffield Shield match, causing a cerebral haemorrhage. He collapsed instantly and was rushed to the hospital, where he died two days later. The incident sent shockwaves through the cricket world.
“Up until that day, I think every cricketer who walked on the field thought, ‘Well, I could get hurt but I won’t get killed.’ And after that Philip Hughes incident, we all realised differently, that you can get killed,” Former Australia Captain Ian Chappell was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.
Cricket, at its core, is a game where one player hurls a hard, solid ball with precision and speed, directly at another player who wields only a bat. The ball weighs 160 grams and when propelled at around 150 kilometres per hour, it can kill. With that in mind, it’s staggering to think that before Amiss came along, players didn’t even wear helmets.
Reflecting on head injuries in sport, he said: “The head is one of the most important parts; it’s the last thing you want hit. I was hit once or twice, and it does leave memories and scars. I still have a dent in the skull from being hit by Michael Holding. Fortunately, it missed the artery that Philip Hughes had hit, by an inch or so, so I was very lucky.”
Amid growing concerns about the risks in rugby and boxing in particular, Amiss added: “I think we do need to protect the head and look after players, because serious damage can be done.”
