Nanny state seeps into cricket grounds

On the second day at the MCG, there was quite literally 4 security members to each bay around the ground. When you consider the MCG has some 200 bays in all tiers combined, it was control in the most extreme.

I went with my uncle and dad on that day, and there was a period before lunch when the sun came out, and was rather hot (strange when you consider how cold the day before was). Anyway, my uncle put on a the ‘Greg Chappell’ broadbrim hat for protection. After about 15 minutes we were approached by security guards requesting my uncle take of the hat as it poses ‘visual impairment to spectators behind’. Directly behind us were a group of English supporters, and they dismissed these claims outright; “What are you talking about mate, it’s just a hat, doesn’t bother us at all”.

Despite this, the guards threatened confiscation of the hat unless it was removed, and subsequently my uncle did such a thing.

Control has been extremely oppressive this summer, in comparison to years gone by when security guards at the MCG used to kick the beachballs back INTO the crowd if the ball found its way onto the field.

Will,

I say rave on old boy! Tony, John, George and Helengrad in New Zealand. New Zealand has been aflicted by the same idiocy albeit not quite to the same extent as the Aussies (balls still permitted with trumpets, bag pipes sirens and the like). The beer is in a plastic bottle and costs a small fortune and the food is rubbish. I’ve got no truck with drunken idiots at one day matches (or tests for that matter), but tests bring in the real ethusiasts and NZ Cricket should do everyone a favour and cut us some slack. Tests grounds are completely empty here. Why would you pay $15 a day when you can pick up a six pack and watch it in the confort of your own home on TV without self appointed gods in white coats hassling you?I was going to fly over with the girlfriend to Aussie to take in a few 1 dayers, but with the SS on guard duty at most venues and expensive beer decided to give it a miss.

pfft, rave on all you want, just as long as you don’t get arrested for anything!
I’m going to the Brisbane ODI in a couple of weeks, and now I’m not sure what I’m allowed to bring in. No hats, no drinks, no food, will I be allowed to wear my Harmison shirt and a layer of sunscreen?

Will,

In a similar vein,,,,,,your comments,,,,”It is an unbelievable farce that ground authorities have the power to treat the paying public in this manner and, before long, it will backfire,,,,,,,,,”

You should have a word with your English Team about how they treat the paying public.

One match went 3 days and another went only 4!!

They cost Cricket Australia about 4.5 million Australian Pesos in refunded tickets. Not to mention the franchisees that lost out in beer, food and memorabilia sales.

If you don’t like it here Will, go home. You’ll be complaining about the weather next,,,,,,,,,

Bilbo

Ernold, you’re off your trolley boy.
Will keep doing it, this sort of shirt from the authoritahs needs to be publicised relentlessly. A spectator strike might be a good idea next season, to punish them for their rip-off prices, crap beer, and oppressive policing.

I don’t call it the nanny state, because of the rhetorical association with the Daily Mail and the rest of the right wing scum-bags who pollute the planet. I call it authoritarian exploitation, but then I’m a post-graduate ranter.

N-power girls dobbed yer mate in?

What you expect from the corporate prostitutes??

Wasn’t Ernold the first name of Oswald Mosely???

No, it’s OK that phequer was Ernald.

Marcus, where did I mention Blair or Howard?
Or are the authorities synonymous with those individuals in your polluted little world?
I was referring to the cricket authorities, the chiselling little twerps.

But anyone who wants to rant against Blair, Howard, Bush, Ahmedinejad or prissy shits like yourself gets carte blanche from me.

Chuck in the Christians, Buddhists, and the rest too.

Apologies folks, it was early, I’d got up to let the cat in. Missed out Islam, Hinduism and current fave the scientologists.

Recognising the whores of the Daily Mail for what they are is a fundamental for a balanced view of the world. In my, guess what, yeah, opinion. Which anyone is free to express. Offended? Tough titty.

Mmmm, Will I don’t think I’d have mentioned the nanny state bit if I were you.

We might rant about the inequitable level of taxation we face, the suspension of legal protections that date from the middle ages, and a incomprehensibly self defeating and myopic ‘war on terror’, but overpriced beer and over enthusiastic stewards does not consititue a nanny state (whatever that is).

When North Korea are admitted to the ICC then we’ll know all about a nanny state.

PS. Couldn’t agree more with comments above regarding the Daily Mail. It is vile unthinking trash.

Correct Milo, it doesn’t, but though Will may have got the nomenclature wrong that’s a function of the decayed so-called journalism that the Forger’s Gazette, among others specialises in.

It’s one of the misused, mildly irritating cliches of the age. However the point he was making was valid, i.e. oppressive authoritarian attitudes to the paying public, which contrasts with that applied to the corporate jollyists in the posh boxes.

As for misapplied criticism of such low-lifes as Blair and Howaard, so what? How many hidden sins are they guilty of that we know not.

Yer man Marcus seems to hanker for a “balanced View” of the World. But then one man’s balanced view is another’s anaemic fudge. Unbalanced views often provide the basis for a more creative analysis in the long run. Frankly I have an unbalanced view of military adventurism.

And, before anyone moans about the relevance any of this has to cricket, I refer you to the great CLR James.

Dont think you will have lost readers – healthy, lively debate is what its all about…better than everyone agreeing with each other -and as i said in my follow up point – totally agree with you re ground authorities – i was just being v.pedantic over use of a term.

OOO Will baby, you’ve done it again, the P-word and the C-word, wait for it.

After reading all of these comments, even though I’m a bit late. Why not just go in Naked? That way they won’t have to worry about hats, shirts advertising or anything. What do you think?

As for the ‘nanny state’we shold be paying MORE taxes but not in the way Mr.Brown has decided. A lot of people on low incomes will have a nasty shock next year [no more 10% tax band!].To make it a curate’s egg I disagree with the total smoking ban.A lot of people like the odd fag now and again.Not all smokers are addicts and the evidence for ‘passive’ smoking is very spurious.