Colin Spiro
 Batting
The modern-day batsman (such as Mark Ramprakash, right) has so much protective equipment he can sometimes resemble a strange mixture between Robocop and the Michelin man. The helmet is now a prerequisite against most types of bowlers and the armour continues downwards from there.
 Helmets
Helmets have come a long way since former England captain Mike Brearley decided to don his motorcycle crash helmet. These days most players favour the grill option (left).
 Thigh pads
Previously players improvised thigh pads with a wrapped up towel but these days (see right) the protective clobber is at the cutting edge of technology, spurred on by bruised victims of the West Indies' relentless pace assault throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.
 Arm guards
A forearm guard (left) should prevent against a repeat of Paul Terry's broken arm against the West Indies at Old Trafford in 1984 (far left), while those seeking a little extra protection can put on the effective (if cumbersome) chest pad to fend off potential rib-ticklers.
Batting gloves
All batsmen wear gloves - there are now myriad varieties to choose from (see below) - but Nasser Hussain's recent troubles with broken fingers has led some to question whether protection is being compromised for comfort. Traditionally, old gloves used to be filled with horse hair but that has been discarded in the quest for lighter equipment.
 Batting inners
Most batsmen also use a pair of inner gloves (right) to soak up sweat and soften the jarring that sometimes occurs if the ball hits the bottom of the bat.
 Batting pads
Other essential gear that all batsmen wear includes leg-guards/pads (left), which are available for, like all of the other equipment, for right and left-handers. A box (politely referred to as an abdominal protector) is another must from a protective point of view. All of the various pads (thigh, chest, leg etc) are available for both left and right-handers.
Wicket-keepers
The wicket-keeper is the only member of the fielding side permitted to wear gloves and external leg guards.
 Gloves
If the wicket-keeper wears gloves they must not have webbing between fingers except that a single piece of flat non-stretch material may be inserted between index finger and the thumb solely as a means of support (near right). The insert must not form a pouch when the hand is extended (far right). This is a new rule that was introduced on May 1 2001, catching out Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist on the opening day the 1st Ashes Test at Edgbaston this year. He was forced to change his old-style gloves after match referee Talat Ali spotted them on a television replay, ironically when Gilchrist dropped Michael Atherton.
 Pads
The wicket-keeper's pads (left) are shorter than those used for batting, cutting off just above the knee to allow greater mobility.
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