the risks us spectators take...

[dr nick]

sitting in the front row of the concourse, where you have the boundary rope perfectly placed so that a ball racing along hits it, and leaps up with just enough height to smack into someone's face sitting in the front row. ive seen it happen a few times already and have noticed that it is not only the grounds in australia which have the ropes in about 2 metres thus creating the problem. during the first final i was sitting about 10 seats across from this kid who copped one in the nose from the ball being flicked up. he started bleeding all over the place.

has anybody else noticed this danger? and would it be a reasonable excuse for someone to leap the fence and stop the ball before it cannons into the rope??

call me old fashioned, but i'd like to see the advertising hoardings used as the boundary. its up to the players to know a sensible distance to go sliding into the fence (and avoid a severe case of rope burn too)

 

[St-KriS]

I think an even bigger problem is when an elderly person falls asleep at the cricket and then someone hits a 6 there way...that's certainly gunna wake em up.

 

[dr nick]

Originally posted by St-KriS
I think an even bigger problem is when an elderly person falls asleep at the cricket and then someone hits a 6 there way...that's certainly gunna wake em up.

or put em to sleep... permanantly

 

[jim boy]

Originally posted by nicko18
sitting in the front row of the concourse, where you have the boundary rope perfectly placed so that a ball racing along hits it, and leaps up with just enough height to smack into someone's face sitting in the front row. ive seen it happen a few times already and have noticed that it is not only the grounds in australia which have the ropes in about 2 metres thus creating the problem. during the first final i was sitting about 10 seats across from this kid who copped one in the nose from the ball being flicked up. he started bleeding all over the place.

has anybody else noticed this danger? and would it be a reasonable excuse for someone to leap the fence and stop the ball before it cannons into the rope??

call me old fashioned, but i'd like to see the advertising hoardings used as the boundary. its up to the players to know a sensible distance to go sliding into the fence (and avoid a severe case of rope burn too)

Sounds like a good case for legal action by the kid, and rightly so too! Why can't they use white powder instead?

 

[dr nick]

Re: Re: the risks us spectators take...

Originally posted by Jim Boy
Sounds like a good case for legal action by the kid, and rightly so too! Why can't they use white powder instead?

good point. ive also noticed some grounds use some padded rubber thing instead of the rope. the ball doesnt fly off it and it saves the players diving across the rope which is rock hard.

 

[Darky]

Originally posted by nicko18

has anybody else noticed this danger? and would it be a reasonable excuse for someone to leap the fence and stop the ball before it cannons into the rope??

If someone has enough foresight to jump the fence to stop the ball, surely they can stop it from where they are, two or three metres further back from the rope.

Originally posted by nicko18

call me old fashioned, but i'd like to see the advertising hoardings used as the boundary. its up to the players to know a sensible distance to go sliding into the fence (and avoid a severe case of rope burn too)

I agree with you there. One of the good things about cricket (and footy for that matter) is that each ground is different, and this includes size and exact shape. Adds a bit more to home ground knowledge and advantage, and if anything would also make it easier for the umpire to adjudicate on boundaries if there was no rope.

 

[dr nick]

Re: Re: the risks us spectators take...

Originally posted by Darky
If someone has enough foresight to jump the fence to stop the ball, surely they can stop it from where they are, two or three metres further back from the rope.

\

im not so sure of that darky. its surprisingly hard to anticipate how hard and high a ball will rear up from the rope. it was a throwaway line anyway.

if the ball was racing towards the rope in front of me, im not sure you could do much else other than duck, and let the people in the second row cop it. at least with 6's its very easy to judge where the ball is coming and get your head out of the way (or hands underneath it)

 

[dr nick]

Re: Re: the risks us spectators take...

Originally posted by Darky

I agree with you there. One of the good things about cricket (and footy for that matter) is that each ground is different, and this includes size and exact shape. Adds a bit more to home ground knowledge and advantage, and if anything would also make it easier for the umpire to adjudicate on boundaries if there was no rope.

this year the MCG had a rope on one side a good 20 to 30 metres in from the fence. the way we are heading, all grounds are going to be roped at the same dimensions. not only does it take away from the "personality" of the ground, its unsightly and spectators end up being a lot further away from the players. it'd be like watching rugby league at the SCG. youre at least 30 metres from the sideline. one of the beauties of AFL and cricket is that the spectators are inches away from the playing arena, and the playing surface can fit snugly into every ground, without expanses of dead space.

 

[DaveW]

Idiots who lean over the fence deserve to get smacked in the face.

 

[dr nick]

Originally posted by DaveW
Idiots who lean over the fence deserve to get smacked in the face.

nothing wrong with kids leaning over the fence dave. this isnt nazi germany.

 

[Bomber Spirit]

Players crashing into the fence trying to stop a boundary was much more dangerous. By bringing the rope in, it eliminates that danger.