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Broad shoulders
By Mark Tilley last year, at the end of January, 15 Comments »
Interesting and heartwarming to see Stuart Broad politely refusing the chance to play in the Indian Premier League. Broad, a wise old head on young shoulders, possibly feels that the crucial summer of English cricket, encompassing a Twenty20 World Cup and an Ashes series, is worth preparing for properly and so has opted out of the high profile player auction to be held on 6 February.
Is it a good choice for young Broad? Financially, it is probably not. The Nottinghamshire fast bowler could stand to earn a six figure sum should he be signed by one of the eight teams involved. However, Broad has his eye on the bigger picture. England face a rigorous schedule between now and the rest of the summer and the heavy workload has seen many an England bowler break down injured (see Messrs Sidebottom, Flintoff and Harmison). Broad is clearly desperate to have a big role in the Ashes contest with Australia this summer and views this as his one chance to have a break before the hectic summer.
It is not unfeasible to say that England surely stand to benefit from Broad’s absence from the IPL. Ignoring the fact that Twenty20 is not necessarily a bowlers game and that Broad has painful T20 memories (thanks, Yuvraj), Broad could well have an extra spring in his step come the visit of both the West Indians and the Aussies. Mick Newell, Broad’s coach at Nottinghamshire, has described the decision as ‘very mature’ and it’s hard to argue. Us mortals can only imagine the monetary lure of the IPL and how easy it must be to play motivated by the promise of cold hard cash.
In making this decision, Broad has shown us two things. One – that he views playing for his country as the main objective and ambition in cricket and that no amount of money can detract from that for him. And two - that it is possible for players in this day and age to say no to the big money riches of the IPL. With all the concern over the longevity of Test cricket and the preservation of cricketing traditions, Broad’s mature stance must be a well of relief for those fretting the most.
Here’s hoping that Broad will prove that he made the right decision and really come on as a Test bowler this summer. I, for one, applaud his decision, wholeheartedly.
15 Comments »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 »Left arm over
By Emma 3 years ago, at the end of May, 7 Comments »
Thanks to England’s decision to delay their squad announcement until 4pm yesterday afternoon, I was stuck on the A45 in rush hour by the time some vaguely pertinent details crackled over the radio. Jammed into a minibus with cricketers with various levels of interest in the national game, needless to say, the news of Ryan Sidebottom’s inclusion received a predominant chorus of ‘Who?’
It is a curious choice. It is certainly not one for the future – while 29 is by no means ancient, and Stuart Clark has shown it possible to found an international bowling career in your thirties, Graham Onions is fit and in form even if Stuart Broad is not. Nor is this a Shah incident, where a consistent county performer has filled an injury hole. In fact, Sidebottom does not presently rank as even Nottinghamshire’s top performer, being out-averaged by Ealham and out-wicketed by Shreck. The same occurred last season, and only last week, teammate Mark Wagh was talking up Shreck’s chances of an England cap. So what brings the potential of a second Test cap to top Sidebottom’s distinctive curly locks?
After Plunkett and Harmison dealt so poorly with an undercooked West Indian batting line-up, it is only natural that England look for variation – and thus, to the left arm seamer. The former Yorkshire stalwart may not be the most in form or reliable of options, but at least he is something different. True, Sidebottom is unlikely to play a part. However, it may just be that while Moores publicly backs his Durham seamers to come good, there is a feeling that something, indeed anything, different might be what is needed to take 11 wickets. Of course, it can’t hurt that a substantial part of the now Nottingham player’s game was developed at Headingley. Interestingly, Sidebottom’s only previous Test cap was due to an injury to Hoggard some 6 years ago. Might he be adding to his headwear in similar circumstances by the weekend?
7 Comments »As if six injuries weren’t enough
By Emma 4 years ago, mid-September, No Comments; be the first!
Matthew Hoggard gave the media a scare today by pulling up with a possible side strain. I’m trying not to get too carried away with this, as we’re bound to be twitching over twinges for the next ten weeks. It’s just that almost every injury problem England have started off with something small. Simon Jones gets cramp in the outfield, falls over in the nets some months later, and is on crutches for months. Flintoff plays a first class game as a final warm up, and then has to hobble off for the rest of the summer. Trescothick leaves a ground in tears, then leaves the country, and now can’t go back for medical reasons… and it goes on. So I’ll postpone my sigh of relief until the second MRI tomorrow.
Regardless of the test results, the scare has already left a mark on Yorkshire’s search for the vital points they need to pull themselves from the bottom spot in the Championship’s first division. Whilst they have yet to field, the Northern county will surely miss the Hogster’s guile and experience, as they look to set nothing more than a par first innings score against Notts.
No Comments »What has Twenty20 done to D/L?
By Emma 4 years ago, mid-September, 4 Comments »
Another day, another Pro40. Today, though, saw a late season glimpse of Twenty20 batting, after Sky’s televised game from Trent Bridge faced several interruptions. After high winds, lightning and finally an evening drizzle, Warwickshire saw their required total reduced to 124, with some 70 runs to get from just 10.5 overs. Once upon a time, a team would have balked at the sight of a required rate above 6 an over, and the visitors tried their best to suggest this hadn’t changed with the loss of two wickets in as many balls.
These days, however, such recalculations place a strike-rate savvy batting side at an advantage. Whilst I would much rather see a game play on, and wouldn’t know where to start if asked to algebra my way to a better system, Duckworth/Lewis calculations often seem a few runs light on games of significantly reduced length. Nottinghamshire, having rebuilt their innings in their last few overs to place themselves at a competitive total, will feel a little hard done by.
What this result does do is ensure that Nick Knight has played his last domestic one-day game. Having announced his retirement at the end of this season, this final win places Warwickshire safe from relegation. A pity, then, that he lost his wicket for a mere 9 runs, from an ill-advised prod outside off stump.
4 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 »Mark Ealham goes beserk
By Will 4 years ago, mid-April, 5 Comments »
At work today, we weren’t sure if the scorecard was faulty/wrong or whether Mark Ealham had, actually, hit a blistering century. It looks like it did happen though:
Nottinghamshire 2nd innings R M B 4 6 DJ Bicknell b Bresnan 0 2 4 0 0 *JER Gallian c Cook b Panesar 171 0 230 27 1 RJ Warren c Davies b Bresnan 4 14 10 1 0 DJ Hussey b Bopara 19 37 23 4 0 WR Smith c Clarke b Footitt 39 0 15 5 0 +CMW Read not out 110 0 156 14 2 MA Ealham not out 112 0 53 11 8 Extras (b 2, lb 7, w 3, nb 4) 16
Total (5 wickets declared, 93.4 overs) 471
53 balls for 112!
5 Comments »MCC v Notts, Lord’s, 1st day
By Will 4 years ago, mid-April, 6 Comments »
A great day today. Not only did I get into Lord’s for free thanks to my golden ticket (otherwise known as a media pass) but my boss got me into the pavillion and took me on a guided tour. What a place! What a bloody place. It was like a hotel or, as one of the stewards put it, “a lovely old museum” which was spot on. There are many bars (5, Martin?), many plush and comfortable seats and countless stunning paintings, most of which are original and many date back well into the 1800s.
The long room was particularly amazing. The name rather gives away its essence, for it is a rather long room – and, apparently, packed on match days. The whole place was like a village, a cricket-fan’s slice of heaven, with a slightly different and invariably better view of the play from whichever room/floor you happen to be in.
At the very top is another bar, and on the terracotta-coloured brickwork on the outside are the engravings of player’s names. Rain has stopped play since the game’s inception, but it’s nevertheless magical to see written proof of a player’s boredom, stretching back to the 1800s. Priceless. Let’s hope they remain there for ever.
Before the pavillion I was introduced to the media centre. The lift heaved us to the top and, when the doors opened, my initial reaction was “Shit. I’m in a Big Brother house” which does a huge disservice to the centre’s architect! The design is ultra-modern and incredibly well-planned. All emphasis is on the ground, on the playing area, and the view is astonishing. The roof’s curve naturally dip down onto the glass, and so does your focus; you can’t get away from the view. It’s massive, and “there” – quite brilliant. Lots of blue everywhere too. And free coffee!
I didn’t watch any of the game from the media centre – play didn’t begin until 2pm – but on first glance, it felt…detached, somehow, from the game. The view is so clear, so uninterrupted, you could almost be watching a TV. I imagine I might prefer sitting in the stands for much of a day’s play, or perching somewhere, instead of spending the whole day in the media centre despite its’ many obvious benefits. Oh, it’s all bloody wicked.
Photos are here. More tomorrow.
6 Comments »Ed Joyce stands alone
By Will 5 years ago, at the end of April, No Comments; be the first!
As a Middlesex supporter, I’m obviously biased – however, my opinions of Ed Joyce are shared by far better judges than me. Today, he hit 192 out of a total of just 345 ao. The next highest score was a paltry 39 by Ed Smith, posh bloke, author and recently snatched from Kent.
I’m incredibly excited by this. Joyce, as I’ve mentioned once before, is Irish and finally qualifies to play for England in July. He is a great talent, an eye-catching player and this innings took him past 4000 runs averaging 45 in 63 matches.
Last year, when Hussain injured himself in the nets, Andrew Strauss was called upon (“plucked from obscurity”) – and we know what he’s done since. 5 hundreds, over 1200 runs, averaging 56. Whilst it’s unfair to compare the two, Joyce does have very similar and slightly better statistics. About a third fewer FC matches, but already has 12 hundreds to Strauss’ 16. This bloke can play. Don’t discount seeing him in the winter touring party if he continues to score hundreds like the one today which, incidentally, a radio journalist called “The best hundred I’ve seen for years.”
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