The IceRays field guide
A cricket day guide to sun sleeves
A day at the cricket is a long one. There is the warm-up, a full innings in the field, lunch and tea, and then your turn with the bat or ball. Whether you are playing, umpiring, scoring or watching from the boundary, your arms are out in the sun for most of it. Sun sleeves are a simple way to cover them without giving up your usual cricket shirt. This page covers fit, club colours, the rules and the parts of your kit that sleeves do not replace.
Who wears sleeves at the cricket
It is not only the players. Think about everyone who spends a summer Saturday at the ground:
- players in veterans' and seniors' competitions, who know exactly how long a day in the field can feel
- umpires, who stand in the middle for every ball with no shade between overs
- scorers and volunteers at an open table on the boundary
- parents and grandparents watching junior games from a camp chair
- the people who roll the pitch and mark the creases before anyone else arrives
The general advice from Cancer Council is to cover as much skin as you can. A long-sleeved cricket shirt does that, and plenty of players wear one. Others find it warm, or prefer a short-sleeved shirt. A pair of sleeves covers the forearms either way, and comes off at the tea break if you want.
What UPF 50+ means over a day in the field
UPF measures how much UV gets through a fabric, and UPF 50+ blocks 98%+ of UV. Across a full day in the field, that is the difference between forearms sitting bare in the sun for six hours and forearms that stay covered from the first over to stumps.
ARPANSA tested a black sample of the IceRays fabric in 2015 and rated it UPF 50+, its "Excellent" band. The 2015 test report (PDF, opens in a new tab) names the sample that was tested. The result does not cover other colours, or wet or stretched fabric. For the background on the numbers, see what UPF 50+ means.
Whites, club colours and the rules
White sleeves sit neatly with cricket whites. For coloured-clothing games, many players pick the sleeve colour closest to their club shirt. There are six colours to pick from: White, Beige, Light Grey, Light Blue, Charcoal and Black.
Before match day, check your competition's playing conditions or ask your association. Some have rules on clothing colour, and umpires' associations often set their own dress. If you are unsure, ask the umpires before play starts.
One more thing on colour: for the same fabric, Cancer Council says a darker shade usually absorbs more UV than a light pastel one. Only black was in our 2015 test, so white sleeves with whites are a uniform choice, not a separately tested one. Our guide to whether sleeve colour matters explains more.
Bowling, throwing and batting: check the fit
Try the sleeves with your playing shirt in the backyard or the nets before a match:
- Bowl a few slow deliveries through your normal action and keep an eye on the top band. As your arm comes over, it should stay tucked under your shirt sleeve.
- Throw gently from side-on, as you would from the deep. Check the band does not slide down your arm.
- Put your batting gloves on. The cuff can sit under the glove, so there is no gap of bare skin at the wrist.
- Keepers, do the same with your keeping gloves and a few practice takes.
Do not drag the sleeve up hard to make it reach. A knitted fabric pulled thin lets more UV through, which ARPANSA's clothing guidance also points out. One size fits all adults. If the top band digs in by the end of a session in the field, let us know and we will help.
Sleeves are light fabric. They are not protective equipment and will do nothing against a cricket ball. Keep wearing your helmet, gloves, pads, arm guard and box as you normally would.
Plan for the whole day, not just your innings
The Bureau of Meteorology issues sun protection times whenever the UV is forecast to reach 3 or above. In summer they can cover most of the day's play. Cancer Council recommends five steps together at those times: cover up, sunscreen, hat, shade and sunglasses. At the cricket that looks like:
- a wide-brimmed hat in the field rather than a cap, which leaves your ears and neck out
- sunscreen on your face, ears, neck and hands before play, then again at drinks, lunch and tea
- sunglasses for the field and the boundary
- a shaded spot for breaks and for waiting to bat
ARPANSA advises reapplying sunscreen every two hours. Drinks breaks make a handy reminder. It also notes that grass reflects less UV than hard surfaces like concrete, but in the middle of the ground the sun overhead is still doing the damage. UV can be high on mild or cloudy days too, so look up the UV for the ground on the free SunSmart app instead of trusting the thermometer.
Where you field changes your day. Slips and the keeper stand together in the middle with no shade for a whole session. Outfielders walk in with every ball and back out again. The batting side waits on the boundary, under cover if the club has a shelter, on an open bench if it does not. Think about where you will spend the hours, and take your hat, sunscreen and water there with you.
Hot days in the field
The fabric is thin and breathable. In the field, a sleeve that is a little damp with sweat can feel pleasant when a breeze comes across the ground. That is a comfort feeling only, not a change in body temperature. Heat at the cricket is mostly about time: a long session in the field with no break from the sun until drinks.
On hot days, drink at every drinks break, and keep a bottle at the boundary for the long walks to fine leg. Get under cover at lunch and tea, and follow your club or association's hot-weather guidance, which may add drinks breaks or shorten play. If the forecast is for real heat, our page on whether cooling sleeves work gives an honest answer on what to expect.
Kit bag, care and how many pairs
Keep a pair in your kit bag so they are always there on match day. Follow the care label, and when you get home pull damp sleeves out of the kit bag to dry instead of leaving them squashed under the pads until next week. Check for snags from spikes and velcro before they go back in.
Each pair is two sleeves. A four-pack costs AUD 120, or $30 a pair, which is $31.80 cheaper than four single pairs. One pair for the kit bag, one for the car, and a couple for the umpire and scorer who have been sitting in the sun all season. Or buy single pairs from the sleeve range.
Away games can mean a long drive with the window arm in the sun: your right arm in Australia, your left in the US. Our driving page explains sun through car glass.
Questions and answers
Can I wear sun sleeves while umpiring?
Sleeves can give you extra arm cover for a long day in the middle. Check your umpires' association dress rules first, and choose a colour that suits the uniform.
Are coloured sleeves allowed with cricket whites?
That depends on your competition. White sleeves are the safest choice with whites. Check the playing conditions or ask your association if you would like a different colour.
Will sleeves get in the way when I bowl?
They are light and move with your arm. Bowl a few slow deliveries in the nets first and make sure the top of the sleeve stays under your shirt sleeve as your arm comes over.
Do sleeves replace an arm guard?
No. They are sun cover only and give no protection from the ball. Keep your normal batting protection.
Are they suitable for junior players?
One size fits all adults. If you are buying for a junior, contact us before you order.
Do I still need sunscreen?
Yes, on your face, ears, neck and hands. Reapply at drinks, lunch and tea, and wear a wide-brimmed hat in the field.