New Zealand Cricket have confirmed this morning they will review a promotional competition involving fans attempting to catch sixes at Black Caps matches due to safety concerns for other spectators.
The Tui Catch-a-Million promotion is currently running at Black Caps international matches, with fans who wear the specially-designed orange shirts in with a chance of winning $50,000 should they manage to catch a six one-handed.
The promotion only runs during One Day International and Twenty20 matches however there have already been a number of incidents where non-participating spectators have been trampled on by eager catchers during the West Indies series.
A NZC spokesperson told Fairfax a review would be carried out before the next viable Black Caps match, which happens to be the first ODI against Pakistan at Wellington's Basin Reserve on Saturday.
"NZC shares concerns about crowd safety in relation to the Tui Catch a Million promotion.
"NZC will be reviewing the terms and conditions of the promotion in conjunction with DB, before the next international fixture."
The promotion is already annoying some current and former Black Caps though, with Jimmy Neesham tweeting his frustration at the competition during last night's T20 against the West Indies.
"Tonight for your viewing pleasure: Grown men in orange t-shirts cannonballing into families with small children," he wrote.
"Potentially there should be designated areas for the t shirts. Someone will get badly hurt and it will look like the dumbest thing ever in hindsight."
Former Black Cap Kyle Mills agreed.
"With the guys with the catching competition, I can see from their point of view there's 50K up for grabs but somebody is going to get hurt at some stage to what extent?" he said on Trackside Radio this morning.
"I don't know that but somebody will get hurt."
SHARE ME