'Keep the ball': Big Bash initiative borrows from baseball traditions

A popular baseball tradition allowing fans to keep balls hit into the crowd will be introduced into Big Bash matches for the first time this summer.

The new rule, which will only be in place during the first over of each innings, allows fans to pocket any ball that is hit into the crowd on the full or bounces over the fence from a boundary.

The initiative is being sponsored by Westpac, who became Cricket Australia's new banking partner in July, and comes into force with the start of the Weber WBBL|11 season on Sunday.

The 'Westpac Keep the Ball' rules will be in place across both the WBBL and KFC BBL competitions.

Based on data from last season, a ball landed in the crowd in the first over on average once every two games in the men's competition, and one in every 10 WBBL matches.

Alistair Dobson, CA's executive general manager of Big Bash Leagues, said the 'Westpac Keep the Ball' innovation was designed to boost the fun for fans attending a match. 

"Player connection drives the Big Bash Leagues, and this initiative further demonstrates our commitment to delivering fan-focused innovation," he said in a statement.

"Building 'Keep the Ball' in collaboration with Westpac has been a priority since their onboarding and we're thankful for their support to bring this unforgettable moment to life."

The league said the innovation had been "inspired by the traditions of Major League Baseball", which has allowed fans to keep foul balls and home runs for more than a century. Supporters will often wear mitts to help them catch baseballs that fly into the crowd.

While less of an issue in the T20 format given its shorter duration, deterioration of the ball is seen as a key element of a cricket match.

The 50-over format recently reverted to one ball being used from the 34-over mark until the end of each innings (with two new balls used for the first 17 overs from each end) to try and encourage teams to pursue reverse swing.

Each innings in Big Bash games this season will begin with a Westpac-branded match ball and umpires will carry spare balls to maintain the flow of the game if it is hit into the crowd.

To ensure consistency, a new standard Kookaburra ball will then be introduced at the end of the first over – regardless of whether one has been hit into the crowd – and used for the remainder of the innings.

Further adjustments to the league's Playing Conditions include stronger in-game penalties for slow over rates.

As per previous seasons, a countdown timer will be in place for each innings, but once the time expires, even if in the middle of an over, teams will be required to bring an additional player inside the fielding restriction circle immediately.

The timer will then immediately reset after hitting zero, to five minutes for BBL matches and 5.45 minutes in the WBBL. If the time expires again before the conclusion of the innings, full Powerplay conditions will exist for the remaining deliveries with only two players allowed outside the fielding restriction circle.

But there will now be no post-match fines or points reductions issued for teams not completing their overs in the allocated time due to the strengthening of in-game penalties.

"While it adds an element of excitement to the conclusion of each innings, the stronger penalty for over rates is consistent with our ongoing commitment to keeping matches fast-paced and family friendly," Dobson said.