What's The Thing On The Cricket Umpire's Arm?

[Cloverjo]

For this current ODI and the previous one between Eng and Sri Lanka, one umpire has a black thing with a transparent plastic circle on the end strapped to his arm. What is it for, and why have they only recently starting to use it?

[Fitzer]

It's Bruce Oxenford and he has been wearing a shield on his arm this season, it is apparently to deflect any ball coming back from the batsman, I've not seen it used in anger as yet.

[Fitzer]

An article on the first version and some thoughts as to why http://www.sportskeeda.com/cricket/ipl-2016-know-about-the-equipment-umpire-bruce-oxenford-was-wearing-on-his-hand

[Cloverjo]

Thanks, fitzer. We don't think of the umpires having to protect themselves, even though they have to leap out of the way of the ball sometimes.

[Mick-the-Miller]

Well, the problem is the guys are just hitting the ball so hard these days, they're working out in the gym building up their physiques and they're hitting that ball incredibly hard. The run chases are getting higher and higher and the guys have to go for big shots. I saw Joss Buttler hit one this evening that went like a rocket, you get in the way of that and you'd really know it.

It would make sense for the Umpires to wear helmets, it's got to come - and maybe even body armour like Baseball Umpires - the chance that an Umpire could get seriously injured cannot be allowed to happen.