Former Australia captain Graham Yallop, the first to wear a helmet in a Test match (vs West Indies at Barbados in 1978) has backed Chris Gayle’s view that umpires should wear helmets too. “Gayle hits the ball as hard as I have seen. I can understand why he has suggested that umpires should be protected,” said Yallop (60) over telephone from Melbourne Sports Stadium where he is Director.

Graham Yallop