Cricket: Aussie inventor creates groundbreaking hard shirt collar to save lives

Australian inventor secures world-first design registration for impact-resistant 'Safety Collar' cricket.
 

An Australian inventor has developed a world-first Safety Collar cricket shirt designed to protect players from catastrophic neck injuries and is now seeking an apparel or equipment partner to take the lifesaving innovation global.
 

Materials engineer and inventor Charisma Wickham (BSc, M.Des Design/Engineering) has secured Australian Design Registration for the invention, which integrates an impact-resistant protective collar directly into a standard cricket shirt.
 

The shirt is designed to be worn by cricketers at all levels from juniors and club players to professional and international athletes to provide critical protection to one of the most vulnerable and least protected areas of the body: the neck.
 

"We have helmets, pads, boxes and gloves, but the neck has remained dangerously exposed," Wicker Research founder and respected innovator, Charisma Wickham said.
 

"One ball, one bad bounce, one moment can change a life. This shirt is designed to help prevent that."
 

A simple idea with lifesaving potential
 

The Safety Collar cricket shirt looks and feels like a normal lightweight playing shirt, but the collar has been engineered to absorb and disperse the impact of a high-speed cricket ball, helping to shield the neck from serious trauma.
 

The protective system uses:

• Two high-density foam tubes with hollow centres
• A lightly padded resin backing layer

The tubes are designed to take, spread and deflect impact around the neck area. Because the centre is hollow, the ball's force is diverted away from the body rather than directed into it. Despite its protective performance, the collar remains lightweight and comfortable, making it suitable for regular match wear.
 

Prototype shirts have already been created using standard cricket shirts modified to integrate the in- built protective collar for demonstration and early testing.
 

"The beauty of this invention is that it's not a bulky add-on," Wickham explained.

"It becomes part of the garment. Players put their shirt on as usual and gain an extra layer of protection without having to change their routine or compromise comfort."
 

Born from a clear and urgent safety gap
 

Cricket balls can travel at 100-150km/h, creating substantial risk to any unprotected part of the body. While helmets and other protective equipment have advanced over the years, the neck region remains inadequately protected.
 

The tragic death of Australian Test cricketer Phillip Hughes in 2014, following a neck injury from a bouncer, remains a stark reminder of the dangers posed by high-speed impacts to the side of the neck.
 

"Phillip Hughes' passing was a heartbreaking wake-up call. Sadly there has been another death since in October 2025 and many other serious injuries," Wickham said.
 

"This highlights the reality that even world-class players with access to the best equipment can still be vulnerable. I wanted to create something simple, affordable and scalable that could help close that gap."
 

Ready for commercialisation with IP secured
 

The Safety Collar cricket shirt is protected by Australian Design Registration meaning no other party can legally copy or reproduce this integrated safety collar design within the protected jurisdiction.
 

Charisma, through Wicker Research, is now seeking to sell all or part of the intellectual property rights to a buyer who has the capability, reach and commitment to commercialise the invention and bring it to market in major cricket-playing nations.
 

The invention has been engineered so that manufacturers can:

• Integrate the protective collar into existing or new shirt designs at the factory level
• Add safety value at low additional production cost (estimated at $10-$20 per unit)
• Achieve retail uplift of around $10-$20 per shirt

The construction and insertion of the collar is not complex, making it highly suitable for mass-production lines.
 

"This isn't a niche, custom-only product," Wickham said.
 

"It has been deliberately designed for scalable, commercial manufacturing, so sportswear brands can roll out protective shirts across junior, club and professional levels."
 

A new category in cricket safety and beyond
 

No current protective equipment manufacturers offer a cricket shirt with an integrated impact-resistant collar. Existing options such as helmet stem guards, detachable neck protectors and chest/throat guards are often uncomfortable, optional or only used at elite levels.
 

The Safety Collar shirt creates an entirely new product category: lightweight, everyday playing apparel with built-in neck protection.

The immediate market opportunity includes:

• Professional and semi-professional players
• Amateur and club cricketers
• Youth and school cricket programs
• Safety-conscious parents and coaches

Beyond cricket, the technology has potential application in field hockey, baseball, softball and lacrosse, where high-speed balls present similar neck and throat risks.
 

"Any sport where a ball can reach the neck at 100 kilometres an hour should at least be exploring integrated protection," Wickham said.
 

"We've proved the concept. Now we need the right partner to test, certify and scale it."
 

Independent testing and next steps
 

Initial non-independent testing conducted by Wicker Research has demonstrated strong impact-resistance performance, including:

• Ball impact tests using a catapult and layered pads
• Vehicle compression tests over padded sections

Formal independent laboratory testing and sports certification will be required prior to official adoption by cricket bodies and other governing organisations.
 

Charisma and Wicker Research are now inviting expressions of interest from:

• Major cricket and sports equipment manufacturers
• Global sportswear brands
• Investor groups with an interest in safety innovation
• Sporting organisations and governing bodies

Prototype samples and technical documentation can be made available under agreed conditions.
 

"This invention is ready for its next chapter," Wickham said.
 

"With the right partner, we can turn a simple idea into a standard piece of protective apparel that has the potential to save lives."