NEW DELHI: The Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club, one of the most historic cricket clubs in England, has implemented a new rule that prohibits batters from hitting sixes.
While this regulation might appear unusual to certain cricket fans , it bears a striking resemblance to a common practice in gully cricket throughout India.
It is important to note that a significant portion of backyard cricket takes place in residential neighborhoods.Consequently, hitting powerful shots frequently causes disturbance to the residents living in the vicinity.
This is precisely the rationale behind the decision made by the Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club, which has been in existence for an impressive 234 years, to forbid batsmen from hitting sixes during matches.
In West Sussex, a cricket club has introduced a new rule to address complaints from nearby residents about property damage caused by stray cricket balls. The neighbors had reached out to the club, expressing concerns that the balls were hitting and damaging their windows, vehicles, and sheds.
To mitigate the problem, the club has implemented a unique solution. According to the new regulation, while the first six will be called as null, the one that follows will be deemed out. This means that if a batsman hits a six, the runs will not be counted, and if another ball is hit out of the ground immediately after, the batsman will be declared out.
“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,” Mary Gill, an 80-year-old resident, said as quoted by The Telegraph.
However, the club’s decision did not go well the players who termed it as ‘ridiculous’.
“Hitting the bowler for a six is part of the glory of the sport. How can you ban it? It’s ridiculous. To take that away removes the joy of it,” said one of the players of this club which was founded in 1790.
While this regulation might appear unusual to certain cricket fans , it bears a striking resemblance to a common practice in gully cricket throughout India.
It is important to note that a significant portion of backyard cricket takes place in residential neighborhoods.Consequently, hitting powerful shots frequently causes disturbance to the residents living in the vicinity.
This is precisely the rationale behind the decision made by the Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club, which has been in existence for an impressive 234 years, to forbid batsmen from hitting sixes during matches.
In West Sussex, a cricket club has introduced a new rule to address complaints from nearby residents about property damage caused by stray cricket balls. The neighbors had reached out to the club, expressing concerns that the balls were hitting and damaging their windows, vehicles, and sheds.
To mitigate the problem, the club has implemented a unique solution. According to the new regulation, while the first six will be called as null, the one that follows will be deemed out. This means that if a batsman hits a six, the runs will not be counted, and if another ball is hit out of the ground immediately after, the batsman will be declared out.
“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,” Mary Gill, an 80-year-old resident, said as quoted by The Telegraph.
However, the club’s decision did not go well the players who termed it as ‘ridiculous’.
“Hitting the bowler for a six is part of the glory of the sport. How can you ban it? It’s ridiculous. To take that away removes the joy of it,” said one of the players of this club which was founded in 1790.
