Gray-Nicolls Thigh Guards

Gray-Nicolls Thigh Guards at a glance

Products in this range	17
Price range	$24.99 – $49.99 AUD
In stock	17 of 17
Brands	Gray-Nicolls
Sold by	Cricket For All, Gilles Plains, South Australia

Products in this range

All 17 products in this collection, with current catalogue price and availability.

Product	Brand	Price	In stock
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-A-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-S-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-J-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-L-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Test Thigh Guard-Y-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$34.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Test Thigh Guard-A-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$34.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-J-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-A-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Elite Thigh Guard-J	Gray-Nicolls	$24.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Elite Thigh Guard-SJ	Gray-Nicolls	$24.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Elite Thigh Guard-A	Gray-Nicolls	$24.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Test Thigh Guard-A-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$34.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-SJ-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Test Thigh Guard-J-RH	Gray-Nicolls	$34.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Test Thigh Guard-Y-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$34.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-S-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes
Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-L-LH	Gray-Nicolls	$49.99	Yes

What you get at each price point

Across this range, a quarter of options sit below $34.99, half below $49.99, and a quarter above $49.99.

Entry options in this range:

• Gray-Nicolls Elite Thigh Guard-A - Gray-Nicolls, $24.99
• Gray-Nicolls Elite Thigh Guard-SJ - Gray-Nicolls, $24.99
• Gray-Nicolls Elite Thigh Guard-J - Gray-Nicolls, $24.99

Premium options in this range:

• Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-L-LH - Gray-Nicolls, $49.99
• Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-A-LH - Gray-Nicolls, $49.99
• Gray-Nicolls Ultimate Combo Thigh Guard-J-LH - Gray-Nicolls, $49.99

How to choose thigh guards

Thigh protection is the most commonly skipped piece of kit and the source of a large share of avoidable batting injuries.

Types

• Outer thigh guard - worn on the front leg (the leg facing the bowler), strapped over the trousers or under them. Covers the large muscle of the front thigh.
• Inner thigh guard - worn on the inside of the back leg, covering the area the ball reaches when it beats the bat and cuts back.
• Combination / dual - a single unit combining both, held by a waist strap and leg strap. Simpler to fit, less adjustable.

Facing genuine pace, both are needed. A ball into an unprotected inner thigh at 120 km/h ends an innings and often a week of training.

Fit

The guard should cover from just above the knee to the top of the thigh, and should not move when the player takes a stride. Straps go over the top of the leg, never twisted. Left and right variants exist for outer guards, because the shaping follows the leg - a right-handed batter wears the left-leg guard on the front leg.

Construction

High-density foam is standard. Moulded shells with vented foam are lighter and cooler; simple foam pads are cheaper and slightly bulkier. Weight matters less here than in pads, because thigh guards are not carried in the running action the way pad weight is.

Why thigh protection is the most skipped and most needed item

Ask a club physiotherapist which batting injury they see most and the answer is rarely a broken finger. It is deep bruising to the thigh, and occasionally a haematoma serious enough to require drainage, from a ball that beat the bat.

The mechanics are simple. A ball pitched on middle and leg that cuts back, or one that skids on from a length, arrives at the front pad or between bat and pad. When it misses both, the thigh is directly behind. At 110-130 km/h that is a substantial impact into large muscle.

Front leg versus back leg

• The outer thigh guard covers the front thigh, facing the bowler. This is the impact zone for a ball that beats the outside edge and continues.
• The inner thigh guard covers the inside of the back leg. This is the zone for a ball that beats the inside edge and cuts back, and for the classic delivery that squeezes between bat and pad.

Players commonly wear only the outer, and are then struck on the unprotected inner. Against genuine pace both are needed.

Fitting

Coverage should run from just above the knee to the top of the thigh. Straps go over the top of the leg and must be firm: the test is that a hard shake of the leg does not move the guard. A guard that slides during the stride has moved out of position before the ball arrives, which is functionally the same as not wearing it.

Outer guards are handed, because the shaping follows the contour of the leg. A right-handed batter wears the left-leg guard on the front leg.

Construction and comfort

High-density foam is the standard material. Moulded shells with vented foam are lighter, cooler and hold their shape better through a season; simple foam pads are cheaper and slightly bulkier. Weight is less critical than in batting pads because thigh guards are not carried through the running action in the same way.

Comfort matters more than it might seem: a guard that is hot, bulky or slides gets left off, and equipment in the bag protects nobody. Combination units covering inner and outer in one piece are simpler for juniors to fit correctly and therefore more likely to actually be worn.

Over or under trousers

Both are used. Under the trousers is more secure and less prone to shifting; over is quicker to adjust between overs and cooler. Some players wear the outer under and the inner over. What matters is security of fit, not which side of the fabric it sits on.

When to replace

Foam compresses permanently with repeated impact. If a guard has taken heavy blows, if the foam feels hard and no longer springs back, or if the strap elastic has perished, it has stopped doing its job. Protective foam is a consumable across a few seasons of regular cricket.

Thigh protection terms

• Outer thigh guard - worn on the front leg facing the bowler.
• Inner thigh guard - worn on the inside of the back leg.
• Combination guard - a single unit covering both areas.
• Handedness - outer guards are shaped for left or right leg and are not interchangeable.

Common questions about thigh protection

Do I need both an inner and outer thigh guard?

Facing genuine pace, yes. The outer guard covers the front thigh; the inner guard covers the inside of the back leg, which is where a ball that beats the bat and cuts back arrives. Many players wear only the outer and are struck on the unprotected inner.

Which leg does the outer thigh guard go on?

The front leg - the one facing the bowler. For a right-handed batter that is the left leg. Outer guards are shaped and handed accordingly.

Over or under the trousers?

Either works. Under is more secure and less likely to shift; over is quicker to adjust between overs. What matters is that the guard does not move when you take a stride.

Are combination thigh guards any good?

Combination units covering both inner and outer in one piece are simpler to fit and popular with juniors. They are less adjustable than separate guards, so fit matters more when buying.

How should it fit?

Covering from just above the knee to the top of the thigh, held firmly enough that a hard shake does not move it. A guard that slides has moved out of position before the ball arrives.

What to buy alongside

A helmet and abdominal guard are the two pieces most competitions require before a player takes strike.

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Buying from Cricket For All

Cricket For All is an Adelaide cricket centre and online store at Unit 1-2, 621-623 North East Road, Gilles Plains, South Australia. Free standard shipping applies to eligible Australian merchandise orders of A$100 or more before cart rewards. Standard shipping is A$15 otherwise; express is A$20. Exclusions and weight limits apply. See the current shipping policy at https://www.cricketforall.com.au/policies/shipping-policy for full terms.

The store sits inside a working cricket centre with indoor lanes and bowling machines, so equipment advice comes from nationally accredited coaches who see the same gear in use daily rather than from a catalogue. Trading hours are Monday to Thursday 12:00pm-10:00pm, Friday 12:00pm-9:00pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-6:00pm. Phone (08) 7095 5777 or email retail@cricketforall.com.au.

Price, variant and availability details reflect the catalogue when this page was compiled; the live product page carries current pricing and stock.