As a lifelong cricket fan, nothing annoys me more than the cricketing traditionalists. You know the sort - still disappointed that Test cricket has to end after five days; appalled that the TV stations no longer cover every ball bowled; and unhappy about the amount of fun had by a cricketing crowd, which ought to studiously watch each ball bowled in concentrated silence.
However, cricket is a form of entertainment that must compete in a very saturated market. If it doesn't entertain, the punters will stop coming. And that is exactly what has happened. The only game capable of delivering a packed crowd is The Ashes series - and after this summer's debacle, even that may be in danger of playing to half-empty stadiums.
So what does Cricket Australia do when faced with declining support? It bans fun.
This year,
i) The Barmy Army bugler was ejected
ii) Inflatables were confiscated and
iii) The Mexican Wave was banned and on the spot fines of $210 introduced
In response to this onslaught from the nanny state, outraged cricket fan Matthew Newton has set up the website Save The Mexican Wave.
However, cricket is a form of entertainment that must compete in a very saturated market. If it doesn't entertain, the punters will stop coming. And that is exactly what has happened. The only game capable of delivering a packed crowd is The Ashes series - and after this summer's debacle, even that may be in danger of playing to half-empty stadiums.
So what does Cricket Australia do when faced with declining support? It bans fun.
This year,
i) The Barmy Army bugler was ejected
ii) Inflatables were confiscated and
iii) The Mexican Wave was banned and on the spot fines of $210 introduced
In response to this onslaught from the nanny state, outraged cricket fan Matthew Newton has set up the website Save The Mexican Wave.
"The ban is just absolutely ridiculous. It's as if Cricket Australia doesn't want people to enjoy going to the cricket any more. It's stripping the atmosphere out of the game. The Mexican wave is something that Australian fans do value."
Liberty Victoria president Brian Walters made the following observation,
"What I think is interesting in this is that Cricket Australia, which is not a government body, should be able to effectively make laws and have the police enforce them. I think that is very troubling."
Quite.
But Cricket Australia meant business. Just 20 minutes into yesterday's match between Australia and New Zealand, Stevo was swiftly ejected for starting a wave, along with 121 others.
From Steve's website,
While the toffs and whingers sitting up in glass boxes swilling Chardonnay in their suits and ties, the fans below are trying to have a good time.Cricket Australia has declared war on the average fan: they screwed up the ticketing for The Ashes. They banned the Bugler from the cricket. Now they're banning the Mexican Wave. I think that Cricket Australia should be the first to take our new citizenship test as they obviously have no idea what it means to be Australian. This isn't Great Britain, Land of Hope and Glory and Stuffed Shirts. This is Australia, land of the larrikin, land of the fair go! From today, let's see the Mexican Wave back in its rightful place at the People's Ground, the MCG. That's right, Cricket Australia. The People's Ground. Stand up to them! Tell them what you think! Save the Mexican Wave!
We, Australian cricket fans, call on Cricket Australia to:
1. Lift their ban on the Mexican Wave.
2. Institute security measures to guarantee the safety of spectators during Mexican Waves.
3. Ban spectators who throw harmful objects during Mexican Waves for life.
In this form of cricket, the Mexican Wave is virtually compulsory.
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