Banning cricket balls on public parks is just unsporting

A SUBURBAN council’s proposal to ban cricket balls has been smashed out of the park, after councillors were told public safety could not be guaranteed unless all ball sports were banned.

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A SUBURBAN council’s proposal to ban the use of cricket balls on its reserves has been smashed out of the park, after councillors were told public safety could not be guaranteed unless all ball sports were banned.

Port Adelaide Enfield Council has voted to accept a staff ­report that says there is no need to make casual cricketers use tennis balls on grounds or in nets that have not been booked for formal, organised play.

Port Adelaide Enfield Councillor Mark Basham.

Under a widely criticised and ridiculed proposal that made world headlines, Cr Mark Basham had suggested casual players be banned from using cricket balls at any park or net in the municipality, unless they had a booking, because of the potential risk that hard balls could harm passersby.

Under the proposal, signs would have been erected to direct casual players to instead use softer tennis balls.

Cr Basham asked the council to consider the ban after getting reports of people being hit by flying cricket balls.

However, in a report to council, community development director Deb Richardson said there had been no reports of cricket ball-related injuries.

She said the risk of a ball hitting a passer-by was “unable to be eliminated” unless all ball sports were banned.

“Cricket nets on reserves have been positioned to accommodate cricket practice sessions and the use of hard cricket balls,” Ms Richardson said.

“Cricket nets are quite visible ... and in addition to minimising ‘escaping balls’ their visibility alerts the public that ball games of such nature are being conducted within the area of the nets.”

After the meeting, Port Adelaide Ward councillor Ray Guscott said the outcome was as he had expected.

“If you see a train station, you don’t walk out on to the train lines, in the same way you don’t walk past cricket nets when someone is playing cricket,” he said.

Cr Basham would not comment on the decision, saying only that the report “speaks for itself”.

News of the proposal, first reported by The Advertiser, went global and featured on the UK’s Daily Mail website as well as on national news programs, including The Project.

An advertiser.com.au poll last month showed almost 92 per cent of more than 1000 respondents said the proposal was a “nanny state” idea.

Port Districts Cricket Club president Simon Maddern regularly takes his sons Khye and Finn out for a hit in the nets.

“It’s good that a logical decision has been made,” he said.