England's Oldest Cricket Club Bans Players from Hitting Sixes; The Reason Will Shock You

In a surprising move that has sent ripples through the cricketing community, Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club in West Sussex, one of England's oldest cricket clubs established in 1790, has banned players from hitting sixes. Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club has been forced to amend the traditional laws of the game to address local concerns. 

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England club bans players from hitting sixes

According to LBC, Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club banned its players from hitting sixes to address property damage around their ground, known as The Green. This decision comes in response to a series of complaints from neighbors about smashed house windows and damaged parked cars caused by flying cricket balls.

This small but historic cricket ground is surrounded by residential properties, making it particularly vulnerable to wayward balls.

Under the new rules, players at The Green will no longer be awarded a six, traditionally given when a batter hits the ball over the boundary without it bouncing first. Instead, they can only score a maximum of four runs, ensuring the ball hits the ground before reaching the boundary. If a player attempts to hit a six, they will receive no runs, and a second attempt will result in the player being declared out.

Mark Broxup, the club's treasurer, explained the rationale behind the decision: “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. 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.”

The new rules have sparked dismay among players, who believe that hitting sixes is an integral and joyous part of the sport. Some argue that tinkering with the rules undermines the spirit of the game and that health and safety regulations, along with insurance concerns, are hampering their enjoyment of cricket. One player remarked that those who buy houses next to a cricket ground should expect the occasional cricket ball in their garden.

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In the past, the club has erected nets around the pitch to prevent balls from escaping, but these have proven insufficient. The modern cricket bats, designed to hit balls further, and the rise of the short white ball game encouraging more boundary scoring have exacerbated the issue.