Cricketers banned from hitting sixes
By Kate Uebergang
October 27, 2004
PUBLIC safety fears have stumped one of cricket’s greatest feats: the six.
Amateur cricketers at two eastern Melbourne suburban grounds will be penalised for hitting a six under a Boroondara Council rule.
The risk of cricket balls hitting bystanders and the likelihood of lawsuits have prompted the change, which is being adopted by more than 100 Eastern Cricket Association teams.
The dead ball rule is to stop cricketers hitting sixes over certain boundaries at Canterbury Sports Ground and Dorothy Laver Reserve East, Glen Iris.
Cricketers will not receive any runs and the ball will not be re-bowled.
Eastern Cricket Association secretary manager Rod Patterson said the rule was a necessary change to prevent injuries and lawsuits.
“Unfortunately, in this day and age we have a litigious society and council is concerned they may get sued if they allow cricket balls to come out of the park,” Mr Patterson said.
“We’re also concerned.”
Mr Patterson said there had been some surprise from clubs when told about the new rule.
“We’ve explained to our clubs why we’re doing this. Our clubs have accepted that,” he said.
Boroondara city works director John Nevins said while the council was not aware of any cricket ball injuries to date, there had been near misses.
“A resident wrote to us during last cricket season saying they’d been walking with their baby along the street of the southern boundary of the Canterbury Sports Ground, when a cricket ball landed near the pram.”
Mr Nevins said a study of Boroondara’s 60-odd grounds found only two high-risk grounds.
He said he could only speculate about the financial consequences of a lawsuit after an injury.
“Cricket is a really significant community activity here in Boroondara,” Mr Nevins said.
“Nobody wants anybody to be hurt. We know there is a risk. As a responsible council we need to act appropriately.”
Herald Sun
Never put down to bad luck what you can sue for!
Now I’d be first in line for suing someone’s ass (if they had a donkey and) if I believed there was some malicious intent or just downright neglect. But if I was walking past a cricket ground or (heaven forbid) at the game and got conked in the head with the ball I’d be all “shit, talk about bad luck” after I regained consciousness. I’d expect them to take care of me and do the right thing (unrealistic though it may be) but I would be thinking words such as “bad” and “luck” not “free” and “money”.
But you go ahead society… ruin it for everyone. You’re the reason Santa training comprises largely of legal awareness, not how to go “ho ho ho”.
