Money Moral Dilemma. Would you replace your mate's cricket bat?

MSE_Martin
MSE_Martin Posts: 8,272
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Money Saving Expert
Here's this week's hypothetical situation for you to cogitate on:
Would you replace your mate's cricket bat?

It’s a summer’s day, and you and a bunch of pals get together for some cricket in the park. You’re playing with your mate’s expensive willow cricket bat. When it’s your turn to bat, you swing it particularly vigorously, and the bat splits. On one hand, you wonder if you should replace it. Yet maybe the bat had had its day, and would have split whoever had been holding it? What would you do?

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Comments

  • Yes, absolutely. If it's in your hands and it gets broken, you are responsible - unless you have been specifically absolved of responsibility beforehand for any breakage. If not - treat the item as if it were your own - with care, and with replacement, if necessary.
  • Interesting.....I would try to come to a compromise with the other players and split the cost, after all you would all have had a go eventually. The straw that broke the donkeys back perhaps?
  • No way. If you are all in it together playing a game, then by bringing your equipment to the game you accept that it might get damaged.

    I never made my friend's pay for a new footie if they kicked it on a roof or in front of a car.

    If you break it through negligence, eg. by hitting something other than the ball, then that's your fault. But no, not if it's an in game accident.

    That said, if the person can't afford to replace it and it's something they use on a regular basis, I'd help them out buying a new one.

    This isn't even a dilemma for me.

    In my time playing footie on the streets the number of balls that were destroyed or lost by various accidents/acts of stupidty/general wear and tear, and it was usually my ball. I'd just go get another one, accepting that it was all part of the game. I've had balls that I've got straight from the shop and kicked straight into a thorn bush after minutes - gone! another went down a pot-hole of all things, first time I ever played with it on my birthday, another in front of a car the first day I had it, never my fault, but you just accept it. Ive probably been through a couple of hundred. Just get over it.That's the risk you accept by playing a game.
  • Taffybiker
    Taffybiker Posts: 927 Forumite
    I would at least offer to replace it. The unwritten rule for me is to return borrowed items in similar or better condition. I would expect the same.
    Try saying "I have under-a-pound in my wallet" and listen to people react!
  • dannynixon
    dannynixon Posts: 418 Forumite
    Turn it on its head, would you expect a friend to pay you if it was your bat?
    I know that I certainly wouldn't unless he did something else with it other than its purpose. For this reason, I would not replace it
    LBM - 30/07/09
    Started DMP in Oct 2009, went wrong. Due to start new DMP in March/April 2013. Bring it on!
    :beer:
  • I would sue him for giving me something 'not fit for purpose' and for placing my health in danger as a fragment of the split bat could have potentially caused me harm.
  • morg_monster
    morg_monster Posts: 2,392 Forumite
    alex - i see your point but an "expensive willow" cricket bat costs a lot more to replace than a football...

    At the end of the day though, if a good quality bat split through normal play, even when cracking out a boundary, it's a fault with the bat. Either it wasn't prepared and knocked in properly (in which case either the owner, or the shop that claimed to prepare it, is at fault and should pay), or it's a manufacturing fault and the manufacturer should replace it free of charge.

    I was in a great cricket shop in Kingston the other day when OH was buying a new bat, and they had a poster on the cash desk detailing the damage caused to bats and where they fall under the warranty. Most classes of damage were superficial and caused by factors out of control of the manufacturer and so weren't covered, but the one case where they would replace it within X years was if the bat was split in normal play. So as long as it was oiled and knocked in properly it should be replaced free.

    A lesson to go buy your bat from a good knowledgeable sports shop and not sportsoccer if you want that kind of service!!
  • PayPeanuts_2
    PayPeanuts_2 Posts: 132 Forumite
    No! If my mate was really upset or skint I might offer some payment towards it as a friendly gesture but I certainly wouldn't feel obliged to.

    If my friend had lent me the bat and I was playing without him/her I would feel responsible for it, but if we were all playing together with them there I would consider it their responsibility.

    Personally if I had an expensive willow bat (instead of my crappy second hand one) I would save it for matches and not for messing about in the park. That would be my choice.
  • hpiper
    hpiper Posts: 166 Forumite
    I would split the cost between the group of friends. If the bat was particulary precious, then the friend shouldn't have brought it along.
  • pochisoldi
    pochisoldi Posts: 260
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    Forumite
    You’re playing with your mate’s expensive willow cricket bat. When it’s your turn to bat, you swing it particularly vigorously, and the bat splits.

    I wouldn't replace it. If the bat split it was probably because it wasn't "knocked in" properly. (see http://www.abcofcricket.com/Article_Library/art47/art48/art48.htm )

    If your mate is such a good batsman that he buys an expensive bat, he must know that if he doesn't "knock it in", then it will be liable to split.

    I'd point out his error, and offer to buy him a knocking in mallet, so he can stop his new bat from splitting.



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