What good is cricket without mighty sixes, especially in the modern days when 10 and 20 overs matches are being played frequently and even Test has adopted ‘Bazball’ style, an aggressive form of batting.
In such a scenario, one of the Britain’s oldest cricket clubs has decided to ban players from smashing sixes, but it has a fair ground to do that as complaints from neighbours have forced the club to alter the ancient sport’s laws.
The new law is something that South Asians having experience of street cricket can easily relate to as they also either don’t count the run or declare the batter out if the ball hits someone’s house.
Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club, founded in 1790 near Brighton, has told batsmen that no run will be counted on the first six and the batsman will be out for hitting a second six during the same innings on the Green ground in Brighton.
The decision has been taken after complaints were made of balls hitting people, house windows, cars and sheds.
“Hitting the bowler for a six out is part of the glory of the sport. How can you ban it? It’s ridiculous,” a batsman was quoted by DailyMail UK as saying.
“To take that away removes the joy of it. I don’t agree that the rules should be tinkered with in this fashion.”
Another batsman said: “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.
“If you buy a house next to a cricket ground then you’ve got to expect a few cricket balls in your garden.”
The Green ground, surrounded by residential homes, has short boundaries. Even though nets have been erected to stop the ball but their height is restricted due to trees nearby.