A deflector disposed immediately above and outboard of a rotating vane wheel in a pulverizer/classifier is protected from wear and abrasion by side-by-side abutting high-hardness wear plates having an alloy content of approximately 15 percent chromium and three percent molybdenum by weight. The abutting edge surfaces of the wear plates are mitered. For pulverizers/classifiers having discontinuous deflectors, end plates are disposed over the end surfaces of the deflector segments and are serrated. Inside threaded fasteners are used to hold the wear plates in place over the lower surface of the deflector.