One of the United Kingdom's oldest cricket clubs has been forced to ban its players from hitting sixes, due to complaints from nearby residents about damage of their property.
Cricket club established in 1790 bans players from hitting sixes
Southwick and Shoreham Cricket Club in West Sussex is claimed by some to be the oldest cricket club in the United Kingdom, having been established all the way back in 1790. But now, in 2024, the club has been forced to effectively eliminate one of the most basic occurrences in cricket — the boundary six.
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At The Green, Southwick and Shoreham's home ground in Southwick, the club have received several complaints from those living around the ground. Balls hit during the course of the club's matches have caused damage to houses and cars, often shattering windows and sometimes even putting people in danger. Some residents have even threatened the club with legal action.
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Southwick and Shoreham have now amended the rules of the game. Now, any batter who hits the ball directly over the boundary will not be given any runs the first time they do so. If they do it a second time, they will be ruled out.
Speaking to the Telegraph, club treasurer Mark Broxup said, "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."
Broxup added that in the past, the club have paid for damage caused to property but were now looking to be more proactive about such incidents, seeking to prevent them from happening in the first place.
Players and residents react to sixes being banned
Players are understandably not happy about the rule changes. One of them said, "Hitting the bowler for a six is part of the glory of the sport. It is integral to the enjoyment of the game for both sides. To take that away removes the joy of it. I don’t agree that the rules should be tinkered with in this fashion."
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Responses to the rule change from residents around The Green have been mixed, with some strongly in favour and others uneasy about curtailing the sport of cricket in such a way.
Given the age of the club and ground, the large majority of residential housing was built long after cricket began here. Therefore, arguments have also been put forth that residents should not be surprised by the events. Like one player put it, "If you buy a house next to a cricket ground then you’ve got expect a few cricket balls in your garden."
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