NCCC General Committee - Dr Nick Wrote: Apology to Committee Members

Hi Folks,

Further to my last email. Richard Stevenson pointed out to me today that the

reason the individual committee members had not replied to my emails is that

they haven't received them. They were sent to the club over 2 weeks ago but

have not been forwarded by the Chair (this was the agreed method of

communication). So my apologies for implying that it was in any way the

fault of the individual committee members.

That begs a question to me though. Why is there no other means of contacting

our elected representatives? When we elect a councillor, an MP etc. the

board of a mutual society such as the Co-op etc. they are given an

individual email address for the role that they are undertaking on our

behalf. However, at Notts I believe that only the Chair gets such an email

address - why? (note I'm not talking about the salaried club employees such

as the CEO here - ironically, they are directly contactable, and in my

experience do respond pretty promptly).

Other things:

1.    From Alan Higham: "Got this message from a Middlesex member after

their AGM last night - Hi Alan, At the AGM our Chair said that consultation

on the Schedule options would be through a survey to establish what members

wanted, followed by a subject specific Members Forum" - Please Notts - can

we have the same commitment?

2.    Is it me or have no members' forums been announced yet at Notts for

this season?

3.    There has been a lot in the press about "too much cricket being

played". Chris O'Brien has done some research and found the amount of

cricket being played in England is actually falling - see below

More detail is to be found in the library during the Essex game.

4.    Also in the library are drawings and plans for the pavilion

redevelopment including architects' drawings. The library is open from lunch

until tea - well worth a visit!

Best wishes,

Nick Evans

24 Enfield St

Beeston

Nottingham

NG9 1DN

Original Communication

How much cricket has been played?

We look at the amount of cricket played by counting the number of balls bowled in matches in England & Wales at first-class, List A and t20 level. International matches are included. The Hundred contributes to t20 (it is regarded as 20 5-ball overs). Figures are, of course, reduced when matches are abandoned owing to the weather.

Clearly there is much less first-class cricket than there was. If we exclude war years and 2020 (Covid), the balls bowled in 2024 were lower than any year since 1894; and the total balls across all formats was lower than any year since 1919, when counties played matches over just two days.

List A hit a peak in 2001, when minor counties and county boards were included in the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy. Since the Sunday League began in 1969 the number of balls has always been greater than in 2024 (ex 2020).

Balls bowled in t20 in 2024 were three times what they were when the format was introduced in 2003, with a peak in 2022.