Pads (also called leg guards) are protective equipment used by batters in the sport of cricket. They serve to protect the legs from impact by a hard ball or puck at high speed which could otherwise cause injuries to the lower legs. Cricket pads first appeared in the mid-18th century in England. They were developed to protect the lower part of the legs from the hard leather ball that was used to bowl deliveries in the game. This was in response to the gradual evolution from underarm to sidearm and finally overarm bowling, which endangered the batsman's knees and shins.