One of the world’s oldest cricket clubs has been criticised by players after banning them from hitting sixes following complaints of damage from neighbours.
A batter for Southwick and Shoreham cricket club, located close to Brighton in West Sussex, described the move as “ridiculous” while the team’s treasurer said it was a “proactive decision” that had to be made.
It came after the club’s neighbours voiced their anger over damage to cars, windows and sheds, with players told they can now no longer play the sport’s top-scoring shot.
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That did not go down well with one batter, who told The Daily Mail the move “removes the joy” of playing cricket.
“Hitting the bowler for a six out is part of the glory of the sport. How can you ban it? It’s ridiculous,” he said.
“To take that away removes the joy of it. I don’t agree that the rules should be tinkered with in this fashion.”
Another said the owners should have considered the possibility of having property damaged by flying cricket balls when they purchased homes close to the ground.
“Everything is about health and safety these days and insurance companies are charging a fortune to indemnify sports clubs against accidental damage or injury to bystanders,” they said.
“If you buy a house next to a cricket ground then you’ve got to expect a few cricket balls in your garden.”
Well, 80-year-old Mary Gill, whose family has lived next to the ground for generations, said the ban is a “good thing”.
“It’s a very small ground and can’t accommodate the testosterone-fuelled young men who come along and just want to hit the ball as far as they can,” she told the Mail.
“My parents and grandparents lived in this house before me and cricket balls were always sailing over and causing damage. Over the years we’ve had tiles smashed off the roof, windows broken and all sorts.”
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Not everyone agreed, with retired cab driver Peter Naghten questioning whether it is the right move and just how realistic it is to expect players not to hit the shot.
“I’ve never had a ball in my property but I don’t really agree with banning sixes – it’s one of the most interesting things about the sport,” he said.
“I can understand why the ground is not really appropriate because it’s so small but how do you stop a batsman hitting a six? Surely it is in their blood and when the ball presents itself, you’d just give it an almighty hit.”
William Escott described the ban as “preposterous” but Mark Broxup, treasurer of the club, provided some explanation as to why he supported it.
“We took the proactive decision to ban sixes at the ground after a few incidents in the past when cars, houses and even roofs were damaged,” he said.
“We don’t want to have to pay costly insurance or have any legal claims against us so it seemed a sensible thing to do.”
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricket/cricket-2024-west-sussex-cricket-club-bans-sixes-reaction-neighbours-complain/news-story/85db19e86fefd25c094dd29d23fdfa07
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Publish date : 2024-07-23 11:11:47
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