How to stop 'trophy' hunters

As hard as it may be for the majority of cricket loving supporters to accept, let alone understand, there is a tiny majority of most crowds prepared to pay their entrance money - however much - to engage in trophy hunting that has nothing to do with the game itself.

They don't care about the result, about individual performances or about individual or national pride. They go for something else - to draw attention to themselves and to seek a reaction to their behaviour from the authorities or, even better, the players.

This pastime can be reasonably harmless, like when a group of loud, beer-drinking but otherwise harmless lads chants to a boundary fielder something like: "Polly, Polly, give us a wave." If and when Shaun Pollock turns and waves, they cheer wildly and celebrate their 'trophy'.

The practise becomes far uglier when zealousness, jelousy and anger are thrown into the equation, however. Not to mention lots of alcohol. It happens all over the world but has become particularly worrying over the last year or two. And the current series between South Africa and Pakistan has been followed by some of the nastier cliques of supporters.

I hope this theory is badly flawed, but in case it isn't I'd like to float a solution.

Herschelle Gibbs was taunted to breaking point during the first test in Centurion and was stupid enough to swear and use crude and abusive language within range of the stump microphone between overs. When match referee Chris Broad slapped him with a ban, later upheld on appeal by Commissioner Richie Benaud, Gibbs's taunters were handed a 'magnificent' trophy.

Some of the men involved were even interviewed by newspaper reporters about how they had managed to get Gibbs banned. They probably regarded themselves as heroes in the confines of their own, tiny minds. They had got Gibbs banned. It was about as much of a triumph as that which the bloated, sick-minded trophy-hunter feels when he travels to South Africa to kill a wild animal and place its head on the wall behind his bar in Texas.

My fear is that there are people like this from every country. Who is to say they won't start trying to seek retribution and revenge? Copy-cat taunting may be the result. 'You hunted down Gibbs - now we will get one of yours.' So the ICC charge the player who 'cracks' and the nutters get another trophy.

Players should never 'crack', of course. They are representing their countries, their families, their cultures, their teammates...blah blah.

They should be able to control their emotions. Just like we shouldn't lose our tempers when almost driven off the road by a taxi, given a parking ticket unfairly or having our daughter's bag of ballet hair-clips confiscated at the airport because they constitute 'dangerous weapons'. But we do.

My suggestion to Cricket South Africa, and even the ICC if they're interested, is that there might be a better way to handle the morons than handing out bans to their targets.

In my limited time spent in the crowds, I have noticed how the sickos are ignored. One or two of them will scream an obscenity at a player and the people around him will turn a blind eye, and blind ear, concerned more that their children don't pay attention. They will move away, even leave their paid-for seats seats rather than 'do' something because - what can they do?

Every city has a senior club league with respected players and administrators. Ask the clubs to find three or four respected representatives on a volunteer basis, men who want to watch the cricket anyway and enjoy the mostly fantastic vibe of a live crowd.

Give them guidelines about what is acceptable bahaviour and what is not. Under no circumstances allow them to engage the thugs personally, but instruct them to report unacceptable bahaviour to the police or stadium security immediately. And give them free tickets. Maybe even a free dinner and a few drinks after the game!

The nasty element will be evicted, the good guys will be rewarded for their services to the game at grass roots level and the message will spread.

The thugs will never know who is watching them. They could be standing next to a 'security volunteer' as they spout their filth. It's got to be worth a try.