Examples of Personal Space in Cricket

By Chris Broad

Recently there has been some controversy about what is personal space in cricket. As a referee who has some knowledge of this I was recently asked how is the personal space defined. I thought the best way to illustrate this was by giving examples of it. So here are some recent examples:

1. Clarke's neck is Katich's personal space.
2. Lee's back is Symonds personal space.
3. West Indies' bowlers shirts and abdomens are Ponting's personal space.
4. Asif's raised arm is Ponting's personal space.
5. Infact the whole pitch is Ponting's personal space.

I was also asked why I did not warn Ponting after two incidents as I had done with Aamer. There were two reasons. One Aamer did it in euphoria and Ponting did not look up in dejection. Second, see number 5 above.

I hope this will bring some clarity to the situation.

In Memorium of the Mother Defence

Ponting, still smarting from Harbhajan's defence but impressed by it, has come up with the elbow toss defense not that he needed to do so in Broad's presence. The elbow toss defence? To relax I do hula hoop tricks. After getting out, to release the tension, I was just practicing my hula technique.

Evidence presented:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ww21je_rlHo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbIT5_K66w0&feature=related

Broad Minded View

"It has happened twice now so we as a playing control team thought it would be sensible for me to have a word with him. He accepted it graciously and undertook to avoid a repeat occurrence. As far as we are concerned the issue is now closed."

http://www.cricinfo.com/pakistan-v-australia-2010/content/current/story/467275.html

I thought it only happened once:) The second time Aamer was not the one initiating contact. No warnings for the Elbow Toss?:)

So let's see the exuberance of an eighteen year old gets a warning but the uncouthness of someone twice his age is considered personal space?:)

Rime of the Ancient Cricketer

By Ricky Thomas Ponting Punter-Tosser

Excerpts:
...

At length I threw an Elbow Toss,
Through the wog it came;
As I have a cranky old soul,
Only the lad was to blame.

...

A good south thought sprung up in my mind;
The Elbow Toss did follow,
Every day, instead of fair play,
It comes to the cricketers hollow!

...

'God save me, the ancient cricketer,
From the fiends that plague me thus!—
Why look'st thou so?'—"With my cross brow
I shot the Elbow Toss."

...

Ah! well-a-day! what evil looks
Had I from old and young!
Instead of the cross, the Elbow Toss
About my neck was hung."

...

'Is it he?' quoth Broad, 'Is this the man?
Laid low by his wicket's loss,
Who threw with a cute breezy flow
The harmless Elbow Toss."

...