Pads are protective equipment used in the sports of cricket, baseball, American football, and hockey (by goaltenders).
Pads fall into two types, batting pads and wicket-keeper's pads. In Test and first-class cricket, the pads are white (to match the rest of the player's whites), while in limited overs cricket they may be coloured.
Batting pads
Batting pads are large, protecting shins, knees and a of lower thigh above knees, with a slot for the foot. Pads are one of the several protective gears wore by the cricket players while batting. Also known as leg guards, pads are wore on the legs by the batsman or the wicket keeper to protect them from the hard leather ball. Most pads have three velcro straps to fasten them to your leg, making them easy to adjust. A special knee roll is provided to protect knees from the ball. Traditional pads have ribs made up of cane wood to provide more protection, running vertically up to the knee roll. Professional players also include extra padding beneath the pads to encounter the impact from the ball generally delivered at a speed ranging from 80 to 90 miles/hour.
Modern day pads are made up of durable, strong and ultra light synthetic material like PVC to avoid fatigue caused by wearing them for a long time. Traditional pads were made up of cotton, foam and cane wood strips covered by a white cloth, making them heavy.
Wicket-keeper's pads
Originally, wicket-keepers used batting pads to protect their legs, but found the knee-protecting flaps interfered with their agility and ability to catch. There were also incidents where the ball lodged in the space between the flap and the wicket-keeper's leg. Modern wicket-keeper's pads are therefore smaller than batting pads, with insignificant knee flaps.
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