Username
Password
Beamer - Week Five

Beamer - Week Five

Another English county cricket season has begun. As always, I have been looking forward to the beginning of the season with eager anticipation. How will my county get on this season? Which players are going to have good seasons? How will the young faces fare? Will the overseas player do well? How will the pitches play? Who is going to be considered for an England call-up? I could go on. The appeal of county cricket is enduring and unique. Yet I am starting to get the impression that I am one of a rather small number who feel this way.

The national press appear to have heralded the start of the county season, with the sort of fanfare that could only be produced by a kazoo blown by an asthmatic gnat. Indeed most of the coverage (such as it is) has been fairly negative, concentrating in the main on the rather disparaging view of the game put forward in the latest copy of Wisden. Indeed, if I were to believe some of the comments that have been put forward in recent times by both the press and former players such as Michael Atherton, then county cricket is barely healthier than the Monty Python parrot. It is (apparently) an embarrassment to the country, a self-serving anachronism that would be best done away with.

Well, quite frankly I disagree. I am not saying that the county system should be immune from some reform. There is no doubt that it supports an unacceptable number of professionals who would clearly be amateurs in other countries, given that they have never played at international level and have no hope of ever doing so. Indeed there are many that barely command a place in their county side. With many counties currently struggling financially, it seems bizarre that these players are still professionals - albeit on fairly unspectacular salaries in modern sporting terms – yet still no doubt driving courtesy cars and of course looking forward to the cash cow known as the benefit year.

It is true that it would probably be in the best interests of the game and probably the players themselves, if the number of county professionals was reduced and these fringe players earned their living elsewhere, playing the game for the love of it and not for the money. However, aside from this, I would argue that county cricket still has a lot going for it. After all, what are the alternatives?

Regional cricket has a lot to recommend it in terms of reducing the pool of players available for international selection and potentially improving the quality of the cricket. However, there is little doubt that it has limited appeal to the vast majority of cricket fans – myself included. I see it as an extremely worthwhile undertaking in addition to the county structure – but not as a replacement. I am personally a Kent supporter, I feel an affinity to the county, I live there and always have and think of myself as a Kentish man. I would feel no allegiance whatsoever to a ‘South-East’ team and would only be interested in watching if it were a stepping stone from county to international level.

City-based cricket also seems to me to be a non-starter. Logistically it would seem to be a nightmare to set-up and also would suffer from the same lack of support as regional cricket. It would alienate the vast majority of supporters who follow their counties and there is no guarantee that it would bring in a new fan-base to replace them. Again, I can only see it as a complement to, rather than a replacement for, county cricket.

I am convinced that the county structure is the one to stick with. However, there is no doubt that crowds could be bigger – it is rather embarrassing that the counties are so financially dependent upon the money generated by internationals. Rather than scrap the county system however, I would argue that it just needs to be more pro-active in bringing the crowds in. The 20-over competition for 2003 sounds a ghastly idea from a cricket point of view, but potentially a good one for attracting a new audience. Ideas such as this, together with the continuing work of the ECB to increase the number of schools playing cricket (and thus hopefully create a new generation of spectators), are more likely to improve the situation than a complete restructuring of the game.

Also, consider what we would lose. The tradition, the history, the place where new talent is brought through and existing talent can be admired. It is a uniquely English institution that we should feel proud of. If you have ever been to a county game, particularly during a festival week, when the sun is shining (and the beer is flowing), then you will know what I mean. More relaxed than an international, but more meaningful and well-appointed than a club game, the atmosphere can be truly something to savour.

County cricket makes me feel glad to be English. Far from feeling embarrassed that we have such a structure and no other country has, I am proud. The other countries are missing out in my opinion. It saddens me that so many people have nothing good to say about county cricket. I believe they are focusing too much on the admitted bad points and ignoring the many good points. True, it needs to evolve, but it is my hope that this evolution will happen and will not result in the loss of its many fine qualities.

A new season has begun and no matter what anyone else says, I will hope to be at Canterbury as often as possible, beer in one hand and cool box by my side, and glad to be there.

Beamer

View a Printer Friendly version of this Story.

Bookmark or share this story with: