STAR SIXER VOICES CONCERN ON SPECTATOR SAFETY
STAR all-rounder Sean Abbott says fans should bring a helmet to next week’s BBL game at North Sydney Oval as his Sixers captain voiced concerns over crowd safety at the tiny ground.
Moises Henriques was a part of the NSW side that lost to Victoria in the 2005/06 Big Bash final when the tournament was played between the states and recalls how dangerous things got on the hill and in the stands.
Brad Hodge went ballistic that day with 106 off 54 before Cam White came in and bludgeoned half a dozen sixes into the crowd on his way to 46 off just 16 deliveries.
“The last time I played there was a NSW-Victoria final,” Henriques said. “There was a queue for the medic line about five deep from people getting hit in the crowd. I remember that pretty vividly.
“It was actually Cam White, our assistant coach (at the Sixers) who was doing the damage. He kept slog-sweeping these flat sixes into the crowd and unfortunately people weren’t watching.
“Maybe after 10 years the crowds are more experienced and are watching the ball a bit harder. It’s a bit of a concern, but as long as we’re looking after the crowd safety to some degree then I think it’ll be a good spectacle.”
North Sydney Oval has hosted plenty of one-day matches and WBBL clashes in the past, but the BBL game against the Heat on January 4 is a totally different beast with 300 a realistic total for the side batting first.
The SCG is out of action that day given it’s the first day of the Sydney Test against
South Africa, while the setting sun could also be an issue with the slightly earlier start bringing in the potential for glare which delayed the run chase in the WBBL final.
That’s another factor the crowd will have to deal with.
“If they prepare a pretty good wicket, hopefully they put some nets up because both teams have some guys who hit the ball pretty hard,” Henriques said.