Should we ban bouncers? (I don't know)
In the latest Ashes hype, Steve Smith once again reminded the world that while Jofra Archer hit him on the head (ruling the Australian out with concussion), he didn’t do what really hurts: getting him out. This idea that a potentially life-altering concussion injury is preferable to a cricket dismissal is, to me, symptomatic of the macho approach to cricket generally, and bouncers in particular. The physical threat of bouncers has visceral appeal but people putting themselves up for physical injury for the sake of entertainment makes me uneasy. Bouncers are part of cricket’s mythos: Viv Richards swaggering out to hook bowlers with just a cap for protection is undeniably cool; Bodyline is a touchstone of cricket history; and the iconic West Indies bowlers defined men's cricket in the 70s & 80s. Robin Smith acrobatically avoiding a bouncer at Old Trafford, 1995, Getty Images . Taking enjoyment out of what is potentially life-ending moment for a batter feels a little gladiat