.JPG)
Letter to the Cricketer magazine: 11/01/19
Whatever happened to Saturday cricket?
For more than 30 years a group of around 10 friends and I have regularly attended the Saturday of the Oval Test. For the Ashes Test next year we were disappointed to find that we’d missed out on tickets in the ballot but decided instead to arrange to meet up earlier in the summer at a county game. Given work commitments this in effect meant trying to find a Saturday fixture. Being fans of the traditional game I was given the task of selecting a four-day match, ideally at one of the county festival grounds. Cheltenham was mentioned, as was Scarborough and Chesterfield. Arundel was another option, along with Colwyn Bay and even the Isle of Wight! We were certainly willing to be flexible in pursuit of a day at the cricket in high summer.
Perhaps we should have known. With the fixtures out my planning began. April 8 and April 15 provided a number of options but… far too early in the season and in any case clashing with end-of-season football matches. May? Nothing. June?
Nothing. July? One weekend of fixtures, all of which appear to be scheduled for Test grounds. And anyway I’m on holiday that weekend! August? Nothing. September? Nothing. I thought our choice might be limited but we have absolutely no options.
Even the one-day game provides few opportunities – a handful of early-season 50-over games (four Saturday games scheduled but nothing after May 4) and there are a grand total of eight T20 games. Football gets some stick for moving fixtures around but there is always a large number to choose from on a Saturday afternoon. So what is it with cricket – have they given up on this day altogether?
Roland Potts, Lymm, Cheshire
MAY WIPED-OUT BY WORLD CUP?
The void of Nottinghamshire cricket in May might be due to the World Cup which runs from the end of May through to mid July and some ECB ruling in ground-readiness etc for this, I thought. So the same must be true for other hosting grounds, I concluded, if this was indeed the case.
A quick research of the fixtures for other hosting venues largely backs-up this assumption: Cardiff and Bristol are totally void of matches during May as is Trent Bridge and both the Oval and the Rose Bowl only have one ODC game each on the 2nd of May but then this theory falls flat on its sorry face.
Taunton hosts 3 Somerset ODC games and a County Championship game during May 2019 and Edgbaston has Bears playing 2 ODC matches and Championship game too. Old Trafford, which doesn't start hosting World Cup matches until mid-June has 1 ODC game but has 2 County Championship games playing after mid-May, try and work that out. It could be a number of days thing, before a World Cup match being played but did Notts need to take any games away from Trent Bridge in May and certainly the ODC match on the 3rd May?
Either all hosting venues are being treated differently, because of requests by themselves individually perhaps, or Notts have been dealt some rubbish, imbalanced fixtures, again, members and supporters being treated as though they are of no consequence, not valued in the slightest.
Trent Bridge has the first of its allocation of World Cup matches on 31st May, so there is some cricket at Trent Bridge in May after all, just not Notts playing (West Indies and Pakistan instead). I just hope the wrecking of the Radcliffe Road stand and the associated debt was worth it.
One oversight by me that needs to be mentioned; the small matter of a ODI pre-World Cup being played at Trent Bridge on 17th May. However, Surrey play a ODC game at the Oval only a handful of days before their ODI in the same series against Pakistan during May.
A Supporter's Plea or should it be supporters'
Am I correct that in May 2019 there is NO FIRST TEAM CRICKET BY NOTTS at Trent Bridge? and in June ONLY 4 DAYS and August ONLY 4 DAYS? If so this is utterly disgraceful - what is the point in being a member when in , hopefully, the best 4 months for weather there is only 8 days of cricket? Surely someone with some passion and enthusiasm can take matters further.
Now go look at the fixtures and you'll find that it's true. If you were in a position where you could travel to away games, there is very little cricket in May 2019 played by Notts anywhere. The myth of the grind of county cricket, looking quite ridiculous as Notts have an 8 day break in the middle on the month and an 11 break at the end of the month, going into June. A maximum of 11 days of play in the whole month, none of them at Trent Bridge.
June has Notts playing just 4 x 4 day CC1 games, a maximum of just 2 days of that month being played at Trent Bridge; Notts playing a maximum of 14 days only, anywhere.
For those that say that the modern game is all about the T20, well August at Trent Bridge has just 4 games of Blast, that month, no CC1 - a maximum of 12 hours of cricket. Where has the cricket gone? There is a women's T20 super-glued to one of those Blast games - but that isn't even Nottinghamshire women.
Cutting the championship fixtures, farming games out to remote locations; has it all resulted in Trent Bridge being under-utilised?
Defenders of Team Lisa and the ECB will point out that July (the peak of the season) has 9 days of cricket at Trent Bridge but won't mention that 3 of those are Blast games, 2 days are the backend of a June CC1 match where play is only theoretical and a whole CC1 4 day game.
Where has the cricket gone?
It very sad, unfair and insulting to loyal members and people who like to ay at the gate. People like Harry are trying to raise the matter locally and nationally, but are meeting a wall of silence. I am sure people will keep trying. It is worth doing what you can here and on social media generally and posting to the Cricket Supporters Association, links to web site , and their social media pages are available on Google and other search engines and Notts AGM comes up soon
ReplyDeleteCannot help but think this is part of a fiendish master plan by the ECB to get us to welcome the 'Hundred'on the basis it's actually cricket being played at TB.
ReplyDeleteWell I have news for them ... It won't work!!!
We long suffering fans need to see our cricket played on a regular basis ... ideally incorporating weekend play ... Hopefully the club are reading what we say and are lobbying the ECB for changes . Somehow though you doubt it, For too long now our club and the cricket board seem to be quite happy in the way they are running (actually should that be ruining? ) the game
It's not long now to the AGM, Maybe a chance to make our feelings known ... Or could the club make a surprise announcement about next season's overseas player in order to deflect criticism!...
I still say that the few of us who seem to really care a) need to make this excellent Site more well known and b) Get a like-minded Member (or preferably members)onto the Committee. It is also worth writing personally to Richard Tennant, the Chairman and any Committee members that you know. Sadly, I will not renew my Membership because I feel that most members are only so because of the straight financial benefits - although this is decreasing as less matches are to be played at TB - rather than a genuine concern for Notts and the 'wider' good of cricket.
ReplyDeleteGood point and I will write to Richard, Thanks
ReplyDeleteA Rushcliffe constituent and NCCC member could write to their MP, he also knows other another former big hitter at Surrey.
ReplyDeleteI assume that several of the Committee / senior Managers read this Blog - so why no response? We can't raise these issues on the official Notts Site - I wonder why!!!?
ReplyDeleteThe no response problem us key I think In summary it is the policy of ECB to give zero response going we will all give up and their new policy will prevail without discussion or any further form of democracy.
DeleteOut if interest Notts' CEO seemed to be committed to County Cricket and out County till early 2016. This is not abuse, just how Ii see it. At the 2016 AGM she gave a long and rather disjointed speech in which she put forward a number of rather unsupported stats to prove that County Cricket, including the Blast, was dying. All was T20,but not counties, then towns and only a limited number of teams. She trotted out a number of sayings that we soon heard from Graves etc like "inspire" and "pathway" "Facts" were stated re young people not knowing the name of the England Test captain were out before us, with not a clue how knew this. Ageism was rife, but town teams became franchises representing ? and only 8 of them, then In April this year The Hundred. A major danger would be if she tries to split the club from the ground as sperate legal entities/companies.This has led to some clubs in other sorts disappearing for good as they are separated from several vital sources of income
Sorry for some typing errors. At the end there re separating ground from club, other sports have been damaged by this
DeleteSo we get 35 'days' at Trent Bridge (assuming you count the T20 as a 'day')with 4 at Welbeck of which 6 are County Championship matches (6x4 days=24)and 1 at Grantham. Nothing at all in May - so what are the benefits of membership for many supporters who, for instance, can't get to matches in the week? Serious action has to now be taken by Members because at the rate things are going Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club cricket at Trent Bridge will soon be gone. I fear that the CEO supported by the Committee are just seeking to run the Club as a commercial business with scant regard for the thousands who want to see local cricket. As I have said before the Committee need to start opposing the running down of 4-day cricket by the ECB and demand that we get more than 7 4-day Matches per Season at 'home.'
ReplyDeleteWould be nice to see more 4 day cricket at TB, Sadly though I think the reality is we need to concentrate on keeping what we have.
ReplyDeleteLooking at the actions to date of the ECB you have to feel that they are determined to push the CC to the outer reaches of the summer, With the eventual aim of reducing 4 day cricket further still...
I don't think April and September count as summer months - 4 out 6 Trent Bridge CC1 games being played "out of season".
DeleteYes, spot on Zanga me old cocker, the ECB won't be happy until they've reduced it to 12. However, as much as we, the real fans, do not welcome this, it wouldn't be quite so bad if all of these games were at Trent Bridge and started on say a Saturday. My mate who sits lower Randall always says to me to ease the constant travelling why not play the same side in the T20 as the 4 dayer as the visiting team is already here. Any revenue the clubs loses, due to not having as many local derbies would be an issue but it's an idea that could be tweaked surely in an attempt to keep championship cricket as it is today
ReplyDeleteGood points made by genuine ,caring Notts fans
ReplyDeleteWe should turn up in droves at the AGM and bombard the TOP TABLE with our concerned views . When it comes to "any questions" lets be very vocal and state the case of the ludicrous state of the 2019 fixtures for Notts at TB.
Questions asked on the night
at the AGM are noted in the official records and if enough fans make a fuss then surely it will have an effect ?
Hello '75 Not Out' - no, the Members have almost no influence as the Committee can always count on their faithful supporters. When did the Members last triumph over the Committee / CEO? The Committee can (and rightly so, to some degree) blame the ECB BUT, equally, the Committee could have strongly objected to the ECB - as could the other Counties over a number of issues but with the 100-ball aberation, for instance, were 'bought off' with the promise of £1.3m. UNLESS and UNTIL genuine supporters wake up nationally and demand that things change then we will only see traditional cricket further weakened. Just like many wild animals have to be preserved and protected in Zoos and enclosures so traditional cricket may well end up as a quaint sport only preserved in a few villages. How long can the likes of Durham, Leicestershire, Derbyshire survive financially? The 100-ball is financially only guaranteed for 5 years.
ReplyDeleteThat last point re only a 5 year guarantee for The Hundred is a crucial. If the new competition fails financially then it will disappear quite quickly, as will the current ECB hierarchy. However what will be left are damaged, maybe fewer counties, and weakened competitions. The rebuilding process will long and difficult. The damage that is being done may become most apparent in the 2030s
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely correct Richard - but the CEO claims that it will attract many mothers and daughters - if only!!! Can we expect hoards of supporters from Derbyshire and Leicestershire to come over the Border to support the Nottingham-based 100 Competition - because it will be City-based? Perhaps the new 'Cafe' and Function Rooms on the Radcliffe Road Stand will keep the money coming in though!!!
ReplyDeleteLATEST FROM NOTTS which may 'sweeten' the pill for those Members able to travel (but Essex is a bit far!!!):
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Philip
Many thanks for your email.
Derbyshire have not signed up for the CC reciprocal arrangements with us for 2019.
We currently have Warwickshire, Leicestershire and Essex on board at the moment.
Shame that Derby don't want to play
DeleteThe CEO of ECB, Tom Harrison gave a press conference with questions allowed, yesterday. This was the first for many months. Nothing really new re concerns on this page of this so helpful blog. He talked about better control of player behaviour, while not discussing them, seems appropriate re several unsavoury stories in the press, whatever the facts turn out to be. He did say the first priority for the Hundred are the current cricket supporters. This sounded odd as we clearly are not keen and we had been told it was not for us.
ReplyDeleteWell, a stone cold FACT is Tom Moores has unexpectedly been called up to the Lions squad but the dear old rose painted Notts Website amazingly doesn't mention of somebody else being 'sent home' as it were, unless I've missed something?
ReplyDeleteThat fact was airbrushed from any public face unlike when that individual was very publicly praised by the club (rightly but with no credit due to the club for it) for his initial call-up. What could Notts say? They signed him after the events (in question) for his cricketing prowess and not for amy other skill or otherwise at anything else.
DeleteSorry, "de-selected", terminology makes all the difference. But, let's not worry about real news from the club, instead we'll have endless videos of training runs in Gotham
DeleteWhy not name the 'individual'?
ReplyDeleteThe ECB did that when they said that he and his Whatsapp buddy, only known as "Tom", were not touring with England Lions.
DeleteSounds a bit like another "Alex"to me.
Personally speaking, I couldn't give a stuff what our players get up to in their private lives(as long as it remains within the law of the land, obviously)provided they're doing the business on the pitch. However the clubs own Twitter or website should report when events like this happen(i.e. de-selection) as it is very important news whether the club like it or not. They don't have to give any details, just inform us members and fans accordingly. I only found this out when speaking to a friend at work who had read about it somewhere else. Suspect a lot of very LOYAL members still do not know about this
ReplyDeleteIt’s a bit of a cliché, but sports people are supposed to be role models – and in cricket, as members, they aren’t quite as “distant” as in many other sports. If what is alleged is correct, then certainly many (most) women will take a very dim view of the goings on. And many men who might take a laissez faire approach might not take the same view if their daughter/sister/best mate were treated (allegedly) as commoditised pieces of meat in an immature game. Most parents would also be disappointed if their sons behaved in the way that was alleged and certainly wouldn’t be recommending the players concerned as role models.
DeleteWhat’s additionally disappointing is that they didn’t (allegedly) learn from the Ulster rugby players saga.
Yes, I agree with you 100percent. However, I've come to the realisation that those days are gone forever. It would be nice if performance on the field for Notts CCC was the most important issue, but, I wonder with some whether this is sadly not the case anymore. Hope I'm wrong in this regard.
DeleteAll rather sad, although of course not making any allegations ! Can't afford any legal costs . I have joined Notts again as a member after a lapse of a year. This is a complete U turn by me and is after careful thought. My aim is to support county cricket, and my county and have fun. If I do express views, including to club officials, I will be polite, listen to them, and be candid. Maybe there could be a meeting of minds between core supporters (we all want new supporters but disagree about how to achieve this) and "The Hundred" people. But ECB and our club CEO need to really open a proper dialogue. Forums round the country could help, after all ECB need to get all those new directors to do something !
ReplyDeleteBy re-joining Notts as a member Richard you associate yourself with its 'direction of travel' - I too have given very careful consideration as to whether to re-join as a Member and come to the sad conclusion that I can't associate myself with the Committee and CEO's decision-making / support for the ECB. Sometimes it is more important to make a stand against what you believe to be wrong. I will still make the odd appearance at Trent Bridge but just as an 'ordinary' supporter - it is not the players who are to blame but the Committee, the CEO and the ECB.
ReplyDeleteAND given that it IS the MEMBERS' Club the majority are clearly in support of the Club's management and overall administration otherwise they would be taking some clear action to change things. I guess that it always easier to point the finger at the 'chiefs' when the 'indians' just follow meekly behind them. Any changes in County Cricket nationally lay with the County Boards who need their members to put pressure on them to do what they want - or perhaps, just perhaps, we who are dissatisfied really are in a tiny minority. As George bernard Shaw wrote "The reasonable man adapts himself to the world. The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man" - Are we those 'unreasonable men? (and women) - I like to think so!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete