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Do we need counties?
By Jonathan Liew 2 years ago, mid-April, 22 Comments »
There are 18 counties playing first-class cricket. That’s quite a lot. There are more domestic teams in England than in any other country. Yet they’re not evenly spread around – London and its environs has an embarrassment of teams, while parts such as the south west, the far north and most of Eastern England have none at all.
Now partly, that’s due to population: cricket teams are concentrated around the biggest cities. And yet, we persist in clinging to the county apparatus, a hotchpotch of hazily-defined localities that has very little relevance to the social geography of today. Counties don’t really exist in any meaningful sense any more; in fact, for four of the 18 counties, that’s literally true. The county system is rooted in a long gone past, and it hasn’t changed, even though everything around it has. Does the idea of ‘Warwickshire’ mean anything to anyone any more? Certainly not for someone like Ian Bell, who was born in Coventry – which since 1974 has been part of the West Midlands.
If it were only a quibble about names and boundaries, we could probably let it go. But this archaic system has a more serious effect on the domestic game. With large shifts in population and wealth away from rural England and towards the towns, some counties clearly have an inherent advantage over others. A county like Lancashire, with a catchment area of Liverpool and Manchester, the surrounding towns, Cheshire and Cumbria, have far more resource to draw on than the likes of Leicestershire, which has one medium sized town and four rival cricketing counties on its borders. It may always have been this way to an extent – pre-reform Yorkshire was bloody huge – but that doesn’t necessarily make it fair.
As a result, prosperity – and thus success – is distorted by the fact that some counties will always be struggling to prosper, regardless of cricketing merit, and some will always be comfortable. Test grounds – a major source of potential revenue – are concentrated almost exclusively around big cities. Look at the list of county champions: the top four are Yorkshire, Surrey, Middlesex and Lancashire – areas with high populations and a Test ground. Then look at who has come bottom most often: Derbyshire, Somerset, Northamptonshire, Glamorgan. When Leicestershire can’t hang on to a player like Stuart Broad, who was born in the county and has played all his cricket there, it’s clear the playing field is not level. The influx of Kolpak players have counteracted population factors to an extent – but they still need to be paid, and the biggest counties will always jostle their way to the front in this respect.
It’s possible teams like Leicestershire and Derbyshire will never again reach the pinnacle of English cricket. The best they can hope for is the odd promotion or a dart at a one-day trophy here and there, but it’s equally likely they’ll wane and recede slowly into the background. That is, unless something is done about it.
If domestic cricket is ever to make proper money – and, who knows, provide a higher standard? – it needs to brand itself in more familiar terms. In short, we need fewer teams, more fairly distributed. The quickest way of doing this would be to merge counties; in short, persuading them to vote themselves out of business. That’s not going to happen. Instead, reorganisation of domestic cricket could be craftily disguised as a PR exercise.
Ironically, the IPL might be able to teach English cricket a thing or two in this respect. Moneyed franchises they may be, but the teams in the League are based in – and upon – very real localities. The players may not be sourced locally, but that will come in time. What’s important is that a bond is being forged betwen a cricket team and a town. In England, those bonds already exist in large part: Gloucestershire is by and large a Bristol team, Hampshire a Southampton-based club, Warwickshire is a Birmingham team, and so on. Towns have a far greater emotional and economic pull than counties these days, and are far more relevant in today’s society.
The idea, then, is this, although the details are less important than the diagnosis behind them. Cut the number of teams to, say, 12, and base each one around a large town. Let’s call them, for sake of argument: Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Southampton, Birmingham, Nottingham, North London, South London, East London, Cardiff and Brighton. The South East has a quarter of England’s population, so it should have a quarter of the teams. The names, as I say, are largely irrelevant.
What English cricket would then have, essentially, is the Australian system in all but name. Teams would be able to draw on the emotional and financial clout of the major town, but talent-wise the spread would be far wider – and far fairer. It provides the best balance between levelling the playing field and preserving some semblance of geographical integrity. And the standard would improve.
Anyway, well done for getting through all that – any thoughts?
22 Comments »Stuart Broad proves appetite for big stage
By Will 4 years ago, mid-August, 4 Comments »
The Twenty20 Final is arguably the most important day in English cricket. Many will be scoffing at that thought…but after witnessing Trent Bridge yesterday on finals day, for the first time, I am utterly sold by the whole idea. It is a brilliant concept, its credentials further enhanced by Allan Stanford whose cash-injection has produced a superb tournament over in the Caribbean.
It was a big moment for Stuart Broad, then, Leicestershire’s 20-year-old giant. He has bowled quite superbly throughout the tournament, and is among the most economical. Again, yesterday, in the semi-final and final, he was very, very impressive: a smooth, uncomplicated run-up, reasonably high arm, and unerringly accurate. He is 6 foot 6 I believe, and although doctors are predicting he still has room to grow, I hope he stops now. If he grows any taller, he will find it very difficult to sustain himself in this modern world where cricket never stops. But sod the negatives, let’s just enjoy watching him bowl. He could well be on the plane to Australia.
I also enjoyed the Sugar Babes yesterday! Great fun – really brilliant to have mid-match entertainment. And Keedie was there too, belting out some choons. I took some photos, one of which is below
But this has to be my favourite: look at the grumpy pair in the middle!
My thoughts on the day, and of Twenty20, are at Cricinfo.
4 Comments »Twenty20 finals day at Trent Bridge
By Will 4 years ago, mid-August, No Comments; be the first!
Can’t wait for tomorrow. For various reasons I’ve yet to taste Twenty20 cricket; after the first season, I vowed it was utter tosh. But it’s since grown and, certainly from a bystander’s view, it now appears to be acknowledged as an important (the most important?) tournament in English domestic cricket. It just looks bloody fun, a riotous day out and I’ll be snapping pics on my trawl through the crowds.
It’ll be great to actually be there sampling the atmosphere and speaking to the fans. I’m really keen to see what the attraction is to, for example, someone with an indifference to cricket. My colleage went to one at Chelmsford a few weeks ago and spoke to people there, one of whom was adament that he didn’t watch, follow or particularly like cricket. He did, though, enjoy Twenty20.
Best of all, judging by Nottingham’s lack of hotel rooms, it’s going to be a sell-out too.
Stuck a preview up on Cricinfo. The teams involved are Essex, Nottinghamshire, Surrey and Leicestershire.
No Comments »Twenty20 Finals Day
By Will 5 years ago, at the end of July, 2 Comments »
I’m definitely a Twenty20 convert. Even at the start of this season I was a fringe-fan, but now I’m definitely enjoying it. Today has seen some brilliant cricket. Flintoff and Symonds, for Lancashire, were typically awesome (Lancashire won to go through to the finals), and a few minutes ago David Masters pulled off the catch of the day/cup/summer to dismiss Graeme Smith. Smith chipped it to a deep long-on, and Masters dived backwards, clinging on one-handed…brilliant!
So, who will Lancashire play? Somerset and Leicestershire are in progress/action and the weather is holding. Great fun.
My bulletin on the Surrey / Lancs. game here, and a Gallery is being added to as the day goes on.
2 Comments »Captaincy in the modern world
By Will 5 years ago, mid-July, 11 Comments »
“We have got some really good quality time under our belts as far as the batting goes and two chances to bowl, so that has been perfect for us.”
Ricky Ponting, talking to the BBC after Leicestershire batted out the final day to draw their game with Australia. The game was “perfect” for Australia (apart from not winning). This seems to be the trend of captains these days: never, ever say anything that could possibly be interpreted as sounding negative. This wasn’t a great warm-up for Australia’s bowlers, I don’t think. The pitch might be flatter than a pancake, but Australia’s “support bowlers” of years gone by would have laughed in the face of a flat pitch on a hot summer’s day.
Brett Lee returned decent first-innings figures, when the pitch was at its most juicy no doubt. But his second innings effort failed to impress: 13 overs, 1 for 78 with seven no balls. Seven no balls, in 13 overs? How old is he, 12? More of the same for Thursday please Brett.
Jason Gillespie is slowly improving, about as fast as a tranquilised tortoise. His match figures of 31 overs 2-100 are deeply concerning for me, let alone an Australian fan. I have always admired his bowling, if only because he’s been in McGrath and Warne’s monstrous shadows over the years, yet has consistently performed brilliantly.
I presume Brett Lee will open with McGrath. But what of Australia’s support bowlers? Can McGrath and Warne provide Australia with 75% of 60 wickets to retain The Ashes?
11 Comments »Leicestershire v Australians, Grace Road
By Will 5 years ago, mid-July, No Comments; be the first!
After the Australian’s giant first-innings reply of 582 for 7 declared, Leicestershire are fighting harder in the second innings: 149 without loss in the 32nd over. Sky Sports are making far too much of this – the only point worth making is the pitch must be flatter than an ironing board. It does at least making Brett Lee look even more very ordinary, with figures of 0-40 from 6 overs and, worryingly for Australia, with three no balls.
UPDATE: Rogers went on to make a double hundred, Leicestershire now 20 runs behind Australia, on 345 for 3. Brett Lee – 13 overs, 1 for 78 with 7 no balls
No Comments »Graeme Smith hits 311. In a day.
By Will 5 years ago, mid-July, 7 Comments »
Graeme Smith is no fool. Apart from it being a picturesque county, Somerset, its county ground also happens to have the best batting track in England: Taunton. He could have gone to any other county in England – he’s “box office” – but chose Somerset. Nevertheless, it is rare that one player scores three hundreds in a day, however good a pitch it is – and today Smith did just that, smacking 311 from just 255 balls.
I don’t know how many people have done this – shall trawl Cricinfo to see, unless some of you know already…?
7 Comments »Harmison warms up with a hat-trick
By Will 5 years ago, mid-April, No Comments; be the first!
Despite being overshadowed initially by 2 other bowlers – Davies in the first innings and Plunkett taking 3 top-order wickets – Harmison today took his first 5-for for Durham against Worcestershire in 2 years, including a hat-trick (his second in his career – first being last year in an ODI). As excellent news this is, it should be noted that four of his wickets (including the hat-trick) were numbers 7, 9, 10 and jack.
It’s still very encouraging news – especially since he’s hitting the stumps. Four out of his five second innings wickets were bowled, and he took eight in the match. It’s early days, and means virtually nothing in terms of his form – but will give his confidence a massive boost, as it will David Graveney, chairman of selectors, who apparently was watching.
Perhaps more importantly, this was a crushing victory for Durham to go along with their other one against Leicestershire. If only Cricinfo was up, I could check Durham’s stats…
No Comments »Harmison’s homesickness. Again.
By Will 5 years ago, mid-April, 6 Comments »
Yesterday saw yet further revelations and startling honesty from Harmison about his homesickness. I’ve written about it before, and Harmison’s spoken about it before – but that only makes the revelations even more bizarre. Not 12 months ago, people – me included – were calling him the best English fast bowler of his generation. Someone who could end up with over 300 Test wickets at a better strike rate than most. Someone who Stephen Fleming and Chris Cairns regarded as potentially greater than Glenn McGrath due to the bounce he offered.
All this, reduced to admissions of homesickness. Still – he did at least help destroy Leicestershire by blasting out 3 batsmen, so all is not lost just yet.
6 Comments »Plunkett takes 5 as Durham start strongly
By Will 5 years ago, mid-April, No Comments; be the first!
Frizzell County Championship Division Two, 2005
Leicestershire v Durham
Grace Road, Leicester
13,14,15,16 April 2005 (4-day match)
Mike Hussey, one of a fair number of Aussies playing county cricket again this season (a good thing), made a magnificent 250, taking Durham up to 523-8D. The next highest score was 82, which puts his innings into context.
Leicester were finally able to bat, only to be skittled out for a paltry and pathetic 123 – the number 11 top scoring with 22. The point of this is a Liam Plunkett, who many regard very highly. I’d been under the impression he was an out’n'out quick, but Cricinfo have him labelled as RMF. Opening the bowling with him was one Stephen Harmison who remained wicketless.
Durham is England’s newest county, and have struggled since their conception – it’s great to see them start so strongly in their first game of 2005, and pressing for a not unlikely win.
No Comments »