Cricket fans will have yet another reason to cheer during the opening over of every Big Bash innings this summer, with Cricket Australia introducing a rule that will allow fans to keep a match-day ball.

CODE Sports’ Daniel Cherny revealed on Thursday afternoon that as of this weekend’s WBBL season-opener, any ball hit for four or six during the first over of an innings can be claimed by a spectator as their own.

A brand-new ball will then be used from the start of the second over, regardless of whether or not a ball is claimed by a member of the crowd. This is to ensure that both teams play with a ball of the same age for the remaining 19 overs of their innings.

Should a team hit more than one ball over the fence in the opening over of their innings, the ball will continue to be replac

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