This is the inevitable, hence utterly predictable and yawnsome natural progression of any Capitalist based program. Which is most of the planet unfortunately.
And here, while the ECB attempt to catch up (again) with India & Australia from their deckchairs, the amateur game is decaying rapidly. Perhaps its not where big bucks or stars are. But then pro sport is very good at knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing
Let's have more Mitchell Starcs in governance perhaps?
We appear to be of like mind, James. Although I need to 'find the positives' in the new world as I have neither the means nor the desire to retire. I have been contemplating alternative career options for a while now but I've been working in cricket for 30+ years so I'm not sure I can fix taps or do tax returns now. I do believe, however, that there will come a time when more and more cricketers recognise the wider value of their work. As I said in an earlier column, if you can be paid 'very' well by your national board rather than exceptionally well by a corporation, with lifestyle terms and conditions in your favour, why wouldn't you choose the former? I know - I'm naieve. Although I see naievity as a desirable quality having reached an unbeaten 55.
It’s so hard to comprehend, but my beloved sport has fell to the evil of money and it’s never com8mg back. I can see me not subscribing to,sports channels anymore as I don’t want to see millionaires playing Mickey Mouse cricket. I will instead go to Chelmsford and watch county cricket.
Money is not evil, it is the relentless and thoughtless pursuit of it which is the issue. Like guns - they don't kill people, it's the people pulling the trigger who do. And we have a choice about what we watch and follow and, like you, I shall exercise my choice!
Yes indeed Neil. As a lifelong sports fan and in my fifties I have watched every sportspersons I love fall for the same money driven pursuit. I like money myself and have always owned share and enjoyed making money. But and this is a big but, football, golf, tennis, rugby union have all fallen to the lure of money. Why else in my country would a body running cricket would you invent a 100 ball version of a game that nobody else plays and is despised by many? Money is solely the reason. Thanks for responding.
The 1st Ashes Test of 2023 done, and it came down to the final last 10 overs, last 60 balls, and it was what this game should be, it was insane, England dec on day 1, a chunk of the game lost to rain, 5th day, and winviz was confused, this was what cricket is.. Not some lame ass 20 over fart...
20 plus years as a self employed Tradesman Neil; I beg you do not switch careers!!
I do love your vision of a National Board's vision
Me and my 2 brothers lived (& shared with many others) that experience growing up; assisted by Test Cricket on the BBC and cricket fields that weren't McDonalds or KFC.
Naive as it is then, it clearly works, Mr Starc agrees too it seems.
Perhaps Mr Botham at Headingley, Messrs Laxman & Dravid at Eden Gardens, perhaps they were naive too? Believing their endeavours could turn the fortunes of a Test match with at least their respective countries looking on? See where I'm going?
Test cricket's problems are symptoms of an illness; the Sport's health needs addressing which means unless this type of dialogue is appearing across NGBs, ICCs tables we will be going nowhere but around and around.
Neil, after commenting on your last piece that I'm not paying attention this year to the T20 merry-go-round , it all changed on Friday! My son informed me that the US Major League Cricket competition is happening next month and some of the games are happening in North Carolina. After a quick check of our work and personal calendars, we bought tickets to watch 4 games from 21 to 23 July in Morristown, NC. Despite not being a avid follower of the T20 schmozzle, I just couldn't pass up the chance to watch live cricket after several years of living on a cricket desert island.
I'm hoping the league works in the US because having watched the odd baseball game to try to figure out the attraction, I firmly believe more happens in one over of cricket than in a whole baseball game or, I daresay, in a whole series of baseball games. If enough Americans start understanding the game, I believe T20 could gain a following (after all, not many people know that cricket was a popular sport a 100-odd years ago in certain parts of the US).
Morristown, NC and Grand Prairie, Texas where the series is being played, both have large South Asian populations nearby so the strategy seems to be to tap into that demographic to grow the sport. I'm excited to see live cricket again in a rather intimate 3,500 capacity stadium. We bought tickets on the grass embankment and while it might not be the grass embankment in front of the main stand at Newlands of my youth, it will bring back great memories. It will be fun to share it with my son because my one regret of living overseas is that he never got the chance to experience school cricket like I did as a youth.
I also look forward to meeting an old mate who I haven't seen for many years and works for the Chennai Super Kings franchise which owns the Texas Super Kings team.
Will you be involved in some journalistic or other capacity with this competition?
Rohit Sharma has no right to comment on anything related to that farce, that stain on the game, that absolute scam, and fraud by India in the World Test Championship, it would not have mattered if they had played 5 tests against England in 5 weeks, India do not and will again never play test match cricket to the same level as they do IPL...
India lost that game on the day the IPL played it's first game, the only team that had interest in the WTC final was Australia, and only pity, a trying to make purses from sow's ears gave the final something, India 2x200 for 20 wickerts, Australia just short of 500/10 1st innings..
Cash is toxic to the sport, let's be honest, this might just be the last we ever see players in white, it is going all color for no more than 20 overs going forward, this last WTC final was farcical, it was disgusting and an abuse of the game by India... They only came to avoid a ban, they did not want to play, and Rohit Sharma's comments really are tantamount to bringing the ICC into disrepute, India should be banned from all ICC events for at least 25 yrs, and $100m fine...
The players had no interest in the final, "to close to the end of the IPL" what?? 1x3 hour game, that took 3 days and finished at 2am, well share the reward, or play the final 1 day before the next round of games.. It is 3 hours, and he cannot play a 5 day game a couple weeks later? The team should all be in hospital, on life support, as they are medically unwell, if not mentally...
I knew this would happen, at least the Ozzies don't whinge and whine about the BBL..
What did I say that upset you? India had no right to play the WTC final, they never intended to win, they had no interest in the game, Sharma saying best of 3 proves that.. Finals are one of games, in most events that is...
What bile, I am sad that the only test match of any consequence is The Ashes, a great series, but not SA v anyone.. I miss the old days of last hour 10th wicket dogged defiance, of a draw almost being better than a win, to draw a series... Not sure what I did...
This is the inevitable, hence utterly predictable and yawnsome natural progression of any Capitalist based program. Which is most of the planet unfortunately.
And here, while the ECB attempt to catch up (again) with India & Australia from their deckchairs, the amateur game is decaying rapidly. Perhaps its not where big bucks or stars are. But then pro sport is very good at knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing
Let's have more Mitchell Starcs in governance perhaps?
And some women.
Please
We appear to be of like mind, James. Although I need to 'find the positives' in the new world as I have neither the means nor the desire to retire. I have been contemplating alternative career options for a while now but I've been working in cricket for 30+ years so I'm not sure I can fix taps or do tax returns now. I do believe, however, that there will come a time when more and more cricketers recognise the wider value of their work. As I said in an earlier column, if you can be paid 'very' well by your national board rather than exceptionally well by a corporation, with lifestyle terms and conditions in your favour, why wouldn't you choose the former? I know - I'm naieve. Although I see naievity as a desirable quality having reached an unbeaten 55.
It’s so hard to comprehend, but my beloved sport has fell to the evil of money and it’s never com8mg back. I can see me not subscribing to,sports channels anymore as I don’t want to see millionaires playing Mickey Mouse cricket. I will instead go to Chelmsford and watch county cricket.
Dear Anthony,
Money is not evil, it is the relentless and thoughtless pursuit of it which is the issue. Like guns - they don't kill people, it's the people pulling the trigger who do. And we have a choice about what we watch and follow and, like you, I shall exercise my choice!
Yes indeed Neil. As a lifelong sports fan and in my fifties I have watched every sportspersons I love fall for the same money driven pursuit. I like money myself and have always owned share and enjoyed making money. But and this is a big but, football, golf, tennis, rugby union have all fallen to the lure of money. Why else in my country would a body running cricket would you invent a 100 ball version of a game that nobody else plays and is despised by many? Money is solely the reason. Thanks for responding.
The 1st Ashes Test of 2023 done, and it came down to the final last 10 overs, last 60 balls, and it was what this game should be, it was insane, England dec on day 1, a chunk of the game lost to rain, 5th day, and winviz was confused, this was what cricket is.. Not some lame ass 20 over fart...
20 plus years as a self employed Tradesman Neil; I beg you do not switch careers!!
I do love your vision of a National Board's vision
Me and my 2 brothers lived (& shared with many others) that experience growing up; assisted by Test Cricket on the BBC and cricket fields that weren't McDonalds or KFC.
Naive as it is then, it clearly works, Mr Starc agrees too it seems.
Perhaps Mr Botham at Headingley, Messrs Laxman & Dravid at Eden Gardens, perhaps they were naive too? Believing their endeavours could turn the fortunes of a Test match with at least their respective countries looking on? See where I'm going?
Test cricket's problems are symptoms of an illness; the Sport's health needs addressing which means unless this type of dialogue is appearing across NGBs, ICCs tables we will be going nowhere but around and around.
From Egg & Bacon coloured deckchairs
Neil, after commenting on your last piece that I'm not paying attention this year to the T20 merry-go-round , it all changed on Friday! My son informed me that the US Major League Cricket competition is happening next month and some of the games are happening in North Carolina. After a quick check of our work and personal calendars, we bought tickets to watch 4 games from 21 to 23 July in Morristown, NC. Despite not being a avid follower of the T20 schmozzle, I just couldn't pass up the chance to watch live cricket after several years of living on a cricket desert island.
I'm hoping the league works in the US because having watched the odd baseball game to try to figure out the attraction, I firmly believe more happens in one over of cricket than in a whole baseball game or, I daresay, in a whole series of baseball games. If enough Americans start understanding the game, I believe T20 could gain a following (after all, not many people know that cricket was a popular sport a 100-odd years ago in certain parts of the US).
Morristown, NC and Grand Prairie, Texas where the series is being played, both have large South Asian populations nearby so the strategy seems to be to tap into that demographic to grow the sport. I'm excited to see live cricket again in a rather intimate 3,500 capacity stadium. We bought tickets on the grass embankment and while it might not be the grass embankment in front of the main stand at Newlands of my youth, it will bring back great memories. It will be fun to share it with my son because my one regret of living overseas is that he never got the chance to experience school cricket like I did as a youth.
I also look forward to meeting an old mate who I haven't seen for many years and works for the Chennai Super Kings franchise which owns the Texas Super Kings team.
Will you be involved in some journalistic or other capacity with this competition?
Take care and keep up the good work.
Rohit Sharma has no right to comment on anything related to that farce, that stain on the game, that absolute scam, and fraud by India in the World Test Championship, it would not have mattered if they had played 5 tests against England in 5 weeks, India do not and will again never play test match cricket to the same level as they do IPL...
India lost that game on the day the IPL played it's first game, the only team that had interest in the WTC final was Australia, and only pity, a trying to make purses from sow's ears gave the final something, India 2x200 for 20 wickerts, Australia just short of 500/10 1st innings..
Cash is toxic to the sport, let's be honest, this might just be the last we ever see players in white, it is going all color for no more than 20 overs going forward, this last WTC final was farcical, it was disgusting and an abuse of the game by India... They only came to avoid a ban, they did not want to play, and Rohit Sharma's comments really are tantamount to bringing the ICC into disrepute, India should be banned from all ICC events for at least 25 yrs, and $100m fine...
The players had no interest in the final, "to close to the end of the IPL" what?? 1x3 hour game, that took 3 days and finished at 2am, well share the reward, or play the final 1 day before the next round of games.. It is 3 hours, and he cannot play a 5 day game a couple weeks later? The team should all be in hospital, on life support, as they are medically unwell, if not mentally...
I knew this would happen, at least the Ozzies don't whinge and whine about the BBL..
For heaven's sake--do you really have nothing intelligent to say, rather than just vomiting out bile?
Why so rude? This is a cricket forum not some political hit piece.
What did I say that upset you? India had no right to play the WTC final, they never intended to win, they had no interest in the game, Sharma saying best of 3 proves that.. Finals are one of games, in most events that is...
What bile, I am sad that the only test match of any consequence is The Ashes, a great series, but not SA v anyone.. I miss the old days of last hour 10th wicket dogged defiance, of a draw almost being better than a win, to draw a series... Not sure what I did...