BackA question of bouncers
The tragic death of Phillip Hughes has moved the cricketing world. There are now calls for a ban on bouncers
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The tragic death of Australian batsman Phillip Hughes has moved the cricketing world. There are now calls for a ban on bouncers. Virender Sehwag has done well to say that such a ban will further reduce the power of bowlers in a game already dominated by batsmen.
Two concepts from economics could be relevant here. First, behavioural economists often speak of the availability heuristic. People systematically overestimate the probability of rare but salient events. Airplane crashes are an example. Fatal knocks from bouncers are another. Popular pressure often leads authorities to overreact.
Second, the idea of moral hazard tells us that safety procedures, at times, act as incentives for extra risk-taking. Seat belts and air cushions lead to rash driving. Studies show that the introduction of helmets in American football have led to more collisions. Is this the case with cricket too? Have helmets reduced the incentives to safely duck under a bouncer rather than try to hook it?
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