Fans will be allowed to keep balls that go into the crowd at Big Bash games this summer

Cricket Australia have introduced a new rule that will allow fans to keep balls that are hit into the crowd in Big Bash matches.

The popular fan-friendly initiative is a hit in baseball, but there’s a catch in the Big Bash version.

Fans will only be allowed to keep a ball if it goes into the crowd in the first over.

Lucky spectators can claim the souvenir even if it bounces over the fence.

And there will be no limit on how many balls can be kept, as along as it’s in the first over.

It means the first over of every BBL and WBBL match will use a special branded ball before it is swapped out for a traditional ball at the start of the second over.

To ensure consistency, there will effectively be a new ball at the start of the second over for every match — regardless of whether one has