Cricket in the Big Apple

And how to get there...

    Now for something completely different. As much as the cricket world changes for the players, it does so just as markedly for those of us who’s living is made from writing about and broadcasting the game, especially as freelancers. Although one colleague working for a major national newspaper paid his own way to India last year.

    There is less budget than ever before for news organisations to pay for reporters to be present at international fixtures, never mind domestic matches. Television of international matches is sufficiently comprehensive and, with player interviews widely accessible online, editors (and their bean-counters) are increasingly happy for matches and tournaments to be covered from the office.

    But it’s not the same, and never will be. Press conferences are mostly anodyne affairs and commentary boxes (I’ll have to be careful here) are increasingly staffed by untrained former players who do little, if any research and are happy to be off the school run for a month. With respect. 

    So instead of accepting the status quo, it’s time to try and make something happen. The coverage on Manners-on-Cricket from the World Cup in India last year delivered half of its paid subscribers, so the editorial committee at MoC decided that tour coverage was popular and in demand. I met with my coffee for several hours to determine this conclusion.   

    Subscriptions accounted for much of my air fare and I was happy to invest in some interesting accommodation and meals to make the tour memorable. The time has come to test your interest once again. Not New Delhi, but New York. Cricket in the Big Apple. 

    South Africa’s first three games of the T20 World Cup are in New York. It is one of only two cities in the world remaining on my ‘to-do’ list but, personal aspirations aside, the story of cricket in America is deeply and sometimes worryingly intriguing. Tokyo is the other one. And with the rise of cricket in Japan, it’s not inconceivable that I could get there on a work visa one day.  

    News has reached my ears from reliable sources that only 17,000 of the reported 34,000 seats available for the India vs Pakistan match in New York have been made available for sale. If true, that’s a LOT of graft. It’s an ICC event of course, but then so was the World Cup last year. Ha Ha. 

    Based on the evidence of conversations I’ve had with free subscribers to this column there would appear to be a fair few with the means and intention to upgrade to a paid subscription. Many have told me they are merely lacking a Round Tuit to get the job done. If that is the case then this column is my nudge, with a little incentive thrown in.

    Collecting memorabilia has never been my thing but in over 30 years I’ve still ended up with quite a bit of it. Now the time has come to give it to you. It’s all delightfully worthless, except perhaps the signed shirt from the 1999 World Cup semi final with the accompanying match programme. Please feel free to make an offer on that, if you’re interested. Maybe you’re Australian…or a masochist. 

    Otherwise there’s one of Shaun Pollock’s Test shirts and another, interesting one from Allan Donald from the 1998 tour of Pakistan. Note the Castle logo but not the words ‘Castle’ or ‘Lager’ as a courtesy to the hosts. 

    There’s Dave Rundle’s signed B&H tracksuit top, a shirt from the much travelled Trevor Penney, a variety of Proteas ODI shirts – including one from the 2003 World Cup and a cracking, never-worn t-shirt to remind of you of the 438-game. Or perhaps you fancy one of my books. The one chronicling the first 20 years back in international cricket is the best one I’ve written. 

    There may be no appetite for these eclectic pieces of history, or any interest in reading a tour diary from New York in June, which is absolutely fine. But if there is then the first 20 subscribers to upgrade their following to £4 per month can select any item they like – apart from the ’99 WC shirt. That will be sold to the highest bidder at the end of April. If there are any bidders! 

    Cape Town residents can have their ‘prize’ personally delivered by me provided they also provide me with a coffee on arrival. For elsewhere in South Africa I can send it securely by Pargo. Further afield may be a challenge, but we’ll make a plan. 

    Here’s to cricket in the Big Apple. Maybe…