ex and star 16/11

[Paul View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

Latest George article

[windy View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

I agree with George about T20 on terrestrial, i can really see it working for C4 on Friday nights, better than Big Bro anyway.

[sweatysock View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

Yes good article - a 20/20 county game a week on Friday/ Saturday night on one of thh terrestrial channels would work in my view - Sky could still show a game or two a week themselves

Re West Indies I feel that a series of 20/20 tournaments round the islands covering a long weekend would be popular, make money and enable the game there to be properly professional by incresasiing number of full-time players

[DaveC View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

GD once again displays a far better insight and understanding of the game than any of the national cricket journos.

Compare and contrast his piece with the usual condescending drivel from un-Scyld Berry in last weekend's ST

[Kim View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

"And the coverage of the Grand National has never inspired me to saddle up a horse and point it at a hedge".

LOL!

Good line, good article and good solution to the "problem".

Berry is utterly mad. I notice that the people in favour of FTA - who have no stats at all to back thier view - all question the ECB stats. Thats a weak line of argument.


I was making the point elsewhere that the pro FTA people talk as if the 2005 ashes series was the only test series ever, using anecdotal tales of kids all over the place playing the game in the streets and parks as evidence of how TV boosts the game. Yet this mass enthusiasm didnt happen after other ashes series or any of the other series televised by C4/BBc. Doesnt this suggest it was the special nature of 2005, rather than the fact it was on telly, that was crucial?

Also I dont see how Davies proposal solves anything. Say the 2016 Ashes are fabulous and kids all over the place are enchanted by the game. Then what happens? Nothing - as they have to wait four years for the next ashes to be on TV....

[Kim View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

(18-11-2009 08:30 AM)DaveC Wrote:  GD once again displays a far better insight and understanding of the game than any of the national cricket journos.

Compare and contrast his piece with the usual condescending drivel from un-Scyld Berry in last weekend's ST

[windy View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

Worst case scenario. England get wiped out 5-0 in 2017 and 2021. Viewing figures collapse. Cricket collapses and drops below Handball in the national consciousness.

Oh well.

[DaveC View Profile Find User's Posts Find User's Threads PM User E-Mail User]

(18-11-2009 08:30 AM)Kim Wrote:  Berry is utterly mad....

#

Others agree - 2 letters in yesterday's ST:

Quote:County cricket players play less than ever

SIR – County players of my generation wear wry smiles at one of Scyld Berry’s most repeated claims (“ECB can afford Ashes return to Terrestrial TV”, Sport, November 15) – that the cricketers of today play too much and, because of this, standards have fallen.

Ignoring the short-term expenditure of energy in the one-day game, today’s county cricketers spend far fewer hours actually on the field than ever before. Numbers of overs in four-day cricket now approximate those bowled in the former three-day game, while the split into two divisions means that the number of county matches – the only realistic opportunity in which to develop Test-match quality players – has been halved.

If Mr Berry were right, county cricket would be the only professional team sport in the world where by playing less, standards would improve. In fact, cricketers at the highest levels fully realise that the only true place to develop skills is out in the field.

Peter Walker
President, Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Cardiff

SIR – Scyld Berry was damning of county cricket and suggested that counties “have to reform by connecting far more to their local communities.”

We would be delighted to welcome him to Trent Bridge to meet some of those who have benefited from our work. Four years ago we went through a strategic review and asked ourselves: what is a county cricket club for? While success on the field is very important, we decided to give equal weighting to grassroots cricket and community work.

We spend in excess of £500,000 each year on our grassroots community work. Over 10,000 youngsters a year are involved in our development programmes and 12,000 people participate through the county’s 26 Focus clubs. Those receive significant support from the Nottinghamshire Cricket Board.

The contribution we make to the community spreads far beyond this. We have founded our own charity and part of our work includes a Positive Futures programme in Cotgrave, which works with young people. There is evidence of a significant correlation between our project and a cut in juvenile crime.

Our staff have mentored youngsters in the City on the “Say Yes” social awareness programme, for which we gained an award from the BBC; we have also helped youngsters gain modern apprenticeships.

We are not alone in looking radically at how we work with local communities and increase participation and coaching standards. We need to retain the income at current levels from the sale of television rights. Without it our County Cricket Club would not be able to support the communities and young people it currently serves.

Derek Brewer
Chief Executive, Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottingham