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Do we need counties?
By Jonathan Liew 4 months ago, 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 »
Trescothick takes step backwards
By Will 5 months ago, 3 Comments »
Update March 22, 2008
Trescothick retires from internationals
The news came through (or rather was beadily spotted by yours truly) at about 3am this morning that Marcus Trescothick had withdrawn from Somerset’s tour of UAE. He made it as far as the plane but it was decided, by him, that he should return home to be with his family.
It’s a desperate situation, and it now seems increasingly unlikely that he’ll ever play for England again. Such is the brilliance of the internet that when I told our man in New Zealand about the news, he broke it to England’s media man. Unsurprisingly it was brought up in the post-match press conference after the third day’s play in Wellington:
However, Paul Collingwood, speaking on behalf of the England team in New Zealand, said that Trescothick’s career should be the last thing on anyone’s mind right now. “It’s just really sad,” said Collingwood. “I think he should just forget about the cricket, to be honest. I just want Marcus to get himself right and forget about whether he is going to play for England again or to go away with Somerset.
“We just need to get him right, for his own sake really,” added Collingwood. “We can be very selfish and ask whether he will ever play for England again, but it doesn’t really matter because we need to get him right. All of our thoughts go out to him.”
Previous info on his “stress-related illness” here, here and here.
3 Comments »Graveyard for bowlers
By Will 6 months ago, 6 Comments »
Today work begins on the excavation and reinterring of 50 bodies just outside of the field of play. After two years of negotiations with the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Right Rev Peter Price, [Taunton] has won permission to buy a patch of the consecrated ground and turn it to sport.Fifty bodies, which were buried between 1858 and 1888, are in the section of churchyard. No records exist of their names, not even on tombstones which disintegrated in the 1970s.
From The Times, Taunton are excavating a pile of old bodies (well, they’re hardly going to move fresh ones are they?) in a churchyard to extend the outfield. I love stories like these, and Patrick has had a great idea how to make light of it all:
Since The Times is a serious and highbrow newspaper, we would normally be above any puerile punning about the deceased but since this blog borrows much of its attempts at humour from Radio 4’s I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue, it is perhaps time to follow in the spirit of Graeme Garden et al and announce the late arrivals at cricket’s funeral ball:
David Graveney, Tomb Moody, Kapil Death, Derek Undertaker, John Embalmery, Greg Chapel, Ken Buryington, Adam Gilcrypt, WG (State of) Grace, Dug Walters, Wasim Bury…
Mark Ramprakash is my feeble attempt. And Coffin Miller…(that is truly dreadful, apologies). And Sean Death…
Yours?
6 Comments »50/8d
By Ian last year, at the end of May, 12 Comments »
No, this isn’t plea to bring back old money. That’s the total Somerset declared on earlier today. I may have missed the point, but presumably the thinking was to have a crack at Middlesex while the conditions were right and stop the opposition from getting full bowling points. It hasn’t worked in one sense, as Middx are currently 71 for 0. As far as bowling points, perhaps it was very shrewd of their skipper Justin Langer. (If this has already been discussed on The Corridor, then I apologise.)
Ordinarily, I might launch into a rant about cheating Aussies bending the rules, but I happen to be a big fan of Langer, so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. But it does leave a bad taste in the mouth, not least as one of my fantasy team bowlers was denied the chance of filling his boots! (I also have Langer, who got a duck…)
Is it bad sportsmanship, clever captaincy or even a missed opportunity? What if Caddick had slapped a quick-fire 40? It could have changed the momentum entirely.
Somerset v West Indians, 1st day, Taunton
By Will last year, mid-May, 6 Comments »
This is West Indies’ first and last warm-up before the opening Test of their tour. Scant preparation for a Test series, but such is the ways of the world. Keep an eye on the scorecard and leave comments, if you so wish.
6 Comments »Banger’s back (albeit against Devon)
By Will last year, mid-April, 3 Comments »
In spite of Nasser Hussain’s bold insistence that Australia were “under the cosh for a lot of” today’s match against England, the end result was rather predictable. England did apply themselves well for portions of the match - specifically the partnership between Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen - but that one highlight alone is not enough to beat Australia, to win the World Cup or to prove England’s one-day ethic is nothing more than hit-and-hope. In fact, poke-and-pray might be more accurate.
All is not lost. You’ve no doubt heard by now that Marcus Trescothick made his return to cricket - albeit against a Devon attack more used to serving scones than yorkers - with a brutal 256 from 117 balls. This is a good thing.
The mystery surrounding his stress-related illness is still very much just that. No one knows for sure exactly what constitutes stress, nor why it happened, nor why he was apparently unfit to attend England’s Champions Trophy yet was fit to tour Australia a few weeks later. He lasted just two weeks which, given the horror show that eventuated, was probably just as well.
I desperately hope he returns, fighting fit, scoring banger tons again. Who knows? This lay-off he has had could relaunch his career, turning him from a good England player into a great.
3 Comments »Justin Langer’s 342
By Will 2 years ago, mid-July, 3 Comments »
In case you hadn’t noticed…
3 Comments »He had already broken the record for the highest innings at Guildford, and this morning he passed Viv Richards’ record for the highest score for Somerset (322). He was within one shot of Charlie McCartney’s 345 - the highest by an Australian in England - when he fell. It is the seventh biggest innings in the County Championship.
Jon Lewis - never knowingly underbowled
By Will 2 years ago, mid-April, 9 Comments »
Cripes, that’s the best headline I’ve ever come up with. I’m sure that my cavernous conscience has retrieved it from someone else but sod it. It’s mine now. In fact, anyone not living in the UK won’t even know why it’s so good. I’ll shut up now.
Moving on. Jon Lewis, the England and Gloucester wobbler. Jagadish, known here as Jag with a vague and irrelevant nod to the once great British auto manufacturer, has chosen him as his English target for the summer. Last year it was Ashley Giles who bore the brunt of his ridicule, and Giles then proceeded to bowl rather better than most people thought possible (including dismissing Australia’s top eight at least once? I think that was the stat-famouse). I’m not suggesting Lewis will have the same effect on this summer, but Jag is unfair on him.
Marcus Trescothick has just made me nearly roll on the floor laughing. He was dismissed twice in a day against Gloucestershire.
Jon Lewis, an unlikely star last year when England thrashed Australia in the Twenty20 game, trapped him in front twice!
King Cricket wonders if he is a forgotten man.
Umm, I don’t know. I didn’t even remember him!
Now, Lewis is never going to take 200 Test wickets for England, or even 100. But he’s a fine county bowler, and absolutely lethal in early season conditions. If England’s battered bowlers don’t fix themselves in the next few weeks, don’t be surprised to see him playing against Sri Lanka.
9 Comments »Oh Boy, I am Excited!!!!
By Scott 2 years ago, mid-April, 1 Comment »
In the UK, the County Championship started last night. Lancs are giving Hampshire a hard time and Gloucestershire are doing well against Somerset. Yay for County Cricket.
All joking aside, it would seem to me that the reform of county cricket into a two-division system seems to have had a positive effect in producing tougher cricketers for England.
1 Comment »Lancashire v Somerset, Twenty20 final 2005
By Will 3 years ago, at the end of July, 2 Comments »
Great day’s cricket - I’m liking Twenty20 more and more. The catching today has been outstanding - I can think of at least three very special catches, highlighting the quality of cricket on display. The gimmicks Twenty20 first provided have been lost to quality, high-class cricket - and who would have thought that? Having the semis and the final in one day is inspired - and I really think The Oval looks a spectacle tonight, with the new OCS stand and the lights. Twenty20 is a winner.
So Somerset dismissed Lancashire for just 114. Their big-guns, Flintoff and Symonds, both fell short - but Flintoff is steaming in now. Steaming. He looks as pumped-up and ferocious as he does in a Test - and has taken two of the three wickets to fall. Graeme Smith is still in for Somerset, who need 44 from 42. The cup is within their grasp.
Symonds coming on to bowl.
Update: all over, Somerset are the 2005 champions. Considering Lancs’ batting lineup, that is some effort. Twenty20 is here to stay, if you’ll pardon the tabloid-style pun!
2 Comments »Twenty20 Finals Day
By Will 3 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 »Graeme Smith hits 311. In a day.
By Will 3 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 »Ponting on defeat by Somerset
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 6 Comments »
Via Cricinfo Australia:
“They played very well and we let them play very well,” said Ponting, for whom the humiliation came hot on the heels of their desperate defeat in the Twenty20 international at The Rose Bowl. “We’ll have out work cut out against Bangladesh the way we’re playing.”
But he refused to let his wry sense of humour desert him entirely, and added: “We got a lot more out of the game than if we’d got them out for 80,” a reference to their total of 79 against England on Monday. ” We’ll have a good long hard look at ourselves,” he concluded, “but it’s not the end of the world.”
He be rattled - enough to make a jibe against England bowling his side out for 79. This summer is going to be fun!
6 Comments »Somerset’s victory against Australia
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 1 Comment »
I think they’re a little pleased!
Somerset defeat Australia
By Will 3 years ago, mid-June, 6 Comments »
A county side have beaten a team vying to match the great “Invincibles” of 1948. Captained by someone by the name of Don Bradman, they returned to Australia unbeaten. There were frequent calls by Australian (and English) media, before flying out to England, that Ponting’s side had the quality and desire to match The Invincibles. This I assume is now a lost hope - firstly with the loss of their 20/20 encounter, and today another defeat…this time at the hands of the mighty Somerset. (did The Invicibles’ record include tour-games?)
“Mighty” may not be too far off, for they (Somerset) possess some seriously good players - and the best pitch in the country, by some distance. It must have been like batting on a road today, as 687 runs were scored in just under 100 overs for the loss of just 11 wickets. And this great, heralded batting lineup of Australia were matched by Somerset, Sri Lanka’s (Jayasuria) and South African’s (Smith) finest.
After the shock of losing to England - something they will be hoping won’t be repeated again this summer! - the prospect of a one-day county game would have had them licking their lips, as opposed to their recently-opened wounds. They were so dominant that both Ponting and Hayden felt like giving their team-mates a bat - and retired early.
How Ponting must wish he or Hayden went on to an even bigger score, for they fell to Somerset with over 3 overs to spare. The significance of this defeat should not be underestimated: Australian Test sides do not lose (m)any matches, and they very rarely lose two games on the trot. (If anyone has stats on this particular aspect, I’d love to know…) Have they arrived too scratchy? Are they still jet-lagged? Has Vaughan spiked their drinks?
When I commented on the 20/20 defeat, I was at pains to ensure I (and others) didn’t get too carried away. Whilst the same feeling applies to this match (the “not to read to much into it” bit), alarm bells will be ringing in Ponting and Buchanan’s heads. First, their batsmen let them down; and now their bowlers. The words “rocket” and “arse” might be heard quite a lot in an Australian changing room over the next few days - and, for cricket’s sake, I think everyone will be very grateful. Vaughan, though no doubt grateful to Somerset for this defeat, will be hoping the monster isn’t awoken just yet.
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