23/09
The Yorkshire County Cricket Club mourns the passing of Harold Dennis “Dickie” Bird MBE OBE
It is with profound sadness that The Yorkshire County Cricket Club announces the passing of Harold Dennis “Dickie” Bird MBE OBE, one of cricket’s most beloved figures, who died peacefully at home at the age of 92.
Dickie Bird enjoyed an illustrious career as an international umpire, writing his name into history as the most famous and popular official in the game’s history. He is synonymous with Yorkshire Cricket, where he has been one of the most loyal supporters. In 2014, he was named President of The Yorkshire County Cricket Club, a role he held with pride and distinction, with the Club winning two County Championship titles during his tenure.
Born on 19 April 1933 in Barnsley, Yorkshire, Dickie Bird’s life was defined by his unwavering dedication to cricket. A former first-class cricketer for Yorkshire and Leicestershire, Bird’s playing career was cut short by injury, but his legacy was truly forged in his role as an international umpire. Over a distinguished career, he officiated in 66 Test matches and 69 One Day Internationals, including three World Cup finals — earning the admiration of players and fans alike for his integrity, humour, and unmistakable style.
Dickie Bird became a national treasure, known not only for his umpiring excellence but also for his eccentricities and warmth. He was appointed an MBE in 1986 and an OBE in 2012 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cricket. He leaves behind a legacy of sportsmanship, humility, and joy — and a legion of admirers across generations.
The thoughts of everyone at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club are with Dickie’s family and friends during this time. He will be truly missed by all at the Club having spent an incredible amount of time in support of everyone here and will be remembered as one the greatest characters in Yorkshire’s history.
Further details regarding memorial arrangements will be shared in due course, and the Club will be looking to honour him in a variety of ways in the coming weeks.
Indian spinner Rahul Chahar has been included in Surrey’s squad to take on Hampshire at the Utilita Bowl.
Chahar, who was registered for the final part of the Rothesay County Championship season in early September, has been added to the squad to face Hampshire this week – having not been required to play in the two home games at the Kia Oval against Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire.
The 26-year-old leg-spin bowler plays for Rajasthan in the Ranji Trophy and has represented India seven times in white-ball cricket.
Chahar has taken 87 wickets in 24 first-class matches at an average of 26.12, with best match figures of 9/148.
His IPL journey started at Rising Pune Supergiants, but it was at Mumbai Indians where his career really took off. He was a key part the MI team that won the 2019 and 2020 IPL tournaments. He was bought by Punjab Kings in 2022 and spent this IPL season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Surrey take on Hampshire who recently signed Indian spinner Washington Sundar for the final two fixtures of the year.
Surrey are currently missing spin options Will Jacks and Cam Steel who are both ruled out due to injury.
On signing, Chahar said: “I’m excited to join Surrey for this week’s match. I’m coming here to have an impact and help the team in their final match of the season.”
Alec Stewart said “Adding Rahul to the squad gives us another spin option at the Utilita Bowl.
“We always knew that we would be missing players for the final period of the season and try to plan accordingly given the potential surfaces and the opposition we’re playing.
“We had originally earmarked for Sai Kishore to return for the latter stages of the season but he unfortunately has a finger injury resulting in an operation has meant he was unavailable.”
The independent Cricket Discipline Panel (‘CDP’) has handed down its decision relating to an appeal brought by Surrey County Cricket Club on behalf of Mitchell Santner.
The Appeal related to Mitchell Santner receiving 3 penalty points on his record following his actions on 23 June 2025 when he was dismissed during the match between Worcestershire and Surrey.
Mr Santner, upon being given out LBW, gestured to the Umpire that he had hit the ball with his bat. Shortly afterwards, while walking off, Mr Santner slammed his bat down into the cricket square.
Mr Santner was given two Level 1 fixed penalty notices for showing dissent to an umpire’s decision by word or action and separately, wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment or implements used in the match.
Surrey CCC challenged the decision under paragraph 4.15 of the Professional Conduct Regulations, arguing that the resulting penalty (3 points on his record for a period of 24 months) would produce a result which in all the circumstances is manifestly unfair on Mr Santner.
The CDP determined that having heard submissions from the parties, the result flowing from the imposition of 3 penalty points, in all the circumstances of this case was not manifestly unfair on Mr Santner.
A copy of the full decision can be found here.
Sussex Cricket Confirm Squad Departures
Sussex Cricket can today announce that five players will be leaving the Club when their contracts expire at the end of the season.
Ari Karvelas, Bertie Foreman, Archie Lenham, Zach Lion-Cachet and Henry Rogers will all leave Sussex at the conclusion of the 2025 season.
Lenham, who made his debut in T20 cricket for Sussex at the age of just 16, went on to play 59 matches for the Club in all formats, taking 51 wickets, also amassing 449 runs.
Foreman, like Lenham, came through the Sussex Academy Pathway, featured in 11 matches, taking 8 wickets and making 239 runs.
Rogers, also a product of the Sussex Academy Pathway, made 7 List-A appearances for the Club, scoring 91 runs.
Zach Lion-Cachet joined Sussex from Oxfordshire Cricket as a result of the talent development partnership between the two clubs. He made 6 List-A appearances, scoring 92 runs.
After making his debut for Sussex in spectacular fashion at Lord’s, Ari Karvelas would go on to make 42 appearances across all formats, taking 89 wickets.
Speaking on their departures, Director of Cricket, Paul Farbrace, said: “It is always a sad day when any professional cricketer leaves a club, and this is no different with five very good people moving on from Sussex.
“All five have been great to work with and have made an excellent contribution to Sussex cricket on and off the field.
“They are all welcome back at any time, and they go with all of our best wishes with whatever comes next in their careers and their lives.”
Everyone at Sussex Cricket wishes the players the best for their future careers.
Following a hearing on 11 September 2025 before the independent Cricket Discipline Panel (‘CDP’), Somerset have been deducted 4 points in the Rothesay County Championship with a further 4 points deduction being suspended until the end of the 2027 County Championship season for a breach of the ECB Pitch Regulations.
Somerset were charged with a breach of the Pitch Regulations following an investigation by the Cricket Regulator after the Match Officials for the Somerset v Durham Rothesay County Championship match on 22 to 25 July 2025, rated the pitch as “Below Average”.
The full decision can be found here.
"Slow, low and boring" and tough "balancing act" - Essex tread "fine line" with hybrid Chelmsford pitch
OSCAR RESS: As the focus on pitch preparation in county cricket continues following Hampshire's eight-point deduction, those involved in Essex and Durham's Championship draw have their say
The hybrid surface at Essex's home ground has proved tough for the bowlers this season, with just one win and five draws.
There is mitigation; it has been an unusually dry summer, which, as a whole, has been largely dominated by batters across the country.
At Chelmsford specifically, there has been a huge increase in fixtures due to both the men's and women's teams playing all their home games at the ground.
"Stuart [Kerrison] does a fantastic job on the square and I would never take anything away from him," said Essex's director of cricket, Chris Silverwood, in the aftermath of his team's draw with Durham.
"He works very, very hard, as does all his team. There's a lot of cricket being played out here now. If you look at the amount of days of cricket being played on this square, I think Stuart does a great job to manage that and to do his best to produce the wickets that we ask him to do.
"For me, he's a big part of the team, and it's not an easy job, but he's got the momen,t and we saw how hard he had to work over the last two days."
A closer look at the results does provide some context to those remarks. Yorkshire, for example, were a wicket away from a win at Chelmsford, and Essex would have been confident of a win had rain not wiped out 24 overs of the final day against Durham.
Two of the more turgid draws against Hampshire and Warwickshire were both played with the Kookaburra ball, notorious for losing its hardness sooner than the Dukes .
But Silverwood also admitted that the surface had changed since his previous stint at the club in 2018 and that the hybrid nature had made life easier for batters.
He said: "We're seeing that they're quite nice for batting on, that's what it looks like to me.
"But equally, when we got the ball in good areas, it did a little bit as well. So, there's been some draws here. It's not through lack of effort. We are trying to win the games, and Stuart is doing his best to provide everything he can for us."
After day two of Essex's most recent draw against Durham, seamer Jamie Porter was scathing about the surface.
"Yes, I mean, this is Chelmsford," Porter said. "The ball doesn't bounce above the shins.
"It's just typical Chelmsford. Slow, low, and boring, really, not a lot going on. Just boring, really, as always."
The seamer grafted hard for his first-innings 4 for 77, taking three of those with the second new ball, before managing an impressive 3 for 36 in the second innings.
Despite little help from his home surface, Porter now has 42 wickets, the third most in Division One. But his team are in a relegation battle and could do with a positive result against Somerset at home in their final game.
Asked about what say in the surfaces provided, Porter replied: "That's above my pay grade, unfortunately. I'm not involved in those conversations. That would be above me.
"I don't know. They just generally always have been pretty slow here. And probably with the summer we've had, it has sucked any kind of life out of them. And that's just kind of what it is."
Had he been interviewed again at the end of day four, his tune may have changed, and Durham captain Alex Lees did refer to it as a "really good first-class cricket wicket" after his side escaped with a draw.
There is a fear that Essex have limited the impact of Simon Harmer, who managed three second innings wickets against Durham but remains without a Championship five-wicket haul since 2023, given that hybrid wickets, by their very nature, will not deteriorate as much over the four days.
Silverwood insisted that everyone is still getting to grips with what is still a new concept.
"Yes, you're potentially right, they're not deteriorating as quickly," the former England head coach said. "But hybrids are a relatively new thing, so we're learning about them all the time.
"Probably if we ask that question in four years, it sounds a long way away, but we'd give you a better answer on that one because we'll have played more on them and understand how they behave more. I think there'll be more understanding of how to prepare them as well."
With all that in mind, when some teams have tried to tweak conditions to deliver a different outcome, they have paid the penalty.
This week, Hampshire were docked eight points for their failure "to prepare the best quality pitch that it could".
During the investigation, head grounds manager, Simon Lee, admitted to altering his methods in an attempt to "help the game".
"I changed my pitch preparation technique for that match because I was trying to give life to the benign pitches we have had this year," he explained.
And herein lies the problem for teams at this crunch time of the season in the search for points. While Silverwood recognised that teams should be justified in seeking a "home advantage", he did speak of a "balancing act".
"Yes, listen, there is a balancing act and you do go around and you do see some things," he added. "But everybody's trying to get home advantage, so I'm not going to knock anybody for that. Again, you don't want to step over that line, but at times it is a fine line."
His opposite number, Ryan Campbell, was perhaps less diplomatic when asked to assess the pitches his Durham team have played on this summer and expressed his relief they didn't encounter another "snakepit".
The club were on the receiving end of a defeat to Somerset at Taunton, in which 35 wickets fell in five sessions and Lord Ian Botham, Durham's honorary life president, branded the pitch "appalling". An investigation into the surface, reportedly rated 'below average' by the match referee, is ongoing.
"At the end of the day, pitches are pitches," the Australian said. "We've played on some that have been absolute snake pits, and then we've played on wickets that are pretty true. It's supposed to be a good contest.
"I'm not going to comment about a pitch, saying it's too slow or low, until the four days are over. At the end of the day, if Essex win this game, it's the greatest pitch ever produced."
He added: "I'll be honest, some of the clubs have forgotten that four-day cricket is supposed to go four days and it's supposed to be a contest. It's not just supposed to be lopsided and putting everything in advantage to your home spinner or home seamer or whatever it is.
"I don't think that produces good cricket because, yes, we want to win. Yes, there's a massive competition going on, but we can't forget that we're here to produce England cricketers as well. If you keep producing absolute snake pits, that doesn't know one any good.
"You've got to admit, when Rob Key talks about pace and he wants fast bowlers, there's been way too many wickets that have done too much that you don't have to bowl fast on it. That's the scary thing.
"Again, I'm an Aussie talking here, but I love this English game and you've got to protect it. The wickets are a really important part of that, and you've got to make sure that you're producing the best wicket you can."
A finals day scheduled for a Friday... is hardly prestigious.
Following a hearing, on the 2nd of September 2025, before the independent Cricket Discipline Panel (CPD), Hampshire have been deducted 8 points in the Rothesay County Championship and fined £5000 for a breach of the ECB Pitch Regulations.
Hampshire were charged with a breach of the Pitch Regulations on 3rd of June, following an investigation by the Cricket Regulator.
This investigation was launched after the match officials rated the pitch for the Hampshire vs Sussex Rothesay County Championship match on 23rd-25th of May as “below average”.
The full decision can be read by clicking on this link.
Academy age-limit set for increase in recognition of talent missed
NICK FRIEND: It is hoped that the move, supported by counties, will lead to better-informed decisions around the potential of young players and give teenagers the best chance of earning professional contracts
The upper age-limit for players in boys' academy cricket is to rise from 18 to 19, The Cricketer understands.
The move comes after counties, through their academy directors and directors of cricket, pushed for greater leeway, in order to improve decision-making.
It is hoped, principally, that the increase will lead to better-informed analysis around the potential of young players.
The age-limit briefly rose to 19 on the back of the Covid pandemic, as a goodwill gesture for players whose development was impacted by the lost summer of 2020. In 2023, though, it returned to 18, effectively the end of a student's A-level year.
At that point, counties have had no choice but to sign players – either on full or rookie contracts – or to release them. It means that clubs have felt forced to let go of talented teenagers where there either hasn't been the budget for a rookie deal or where it has felt a year too soon. Those decisions have become more difficult since the advent of The Hundred, which coincided with an end to formal second-team cricket through the month of August, which is also – for those youngsters – the month after exams finish and when, historically, they would play some of their most significant county age-group cricket.
Without the availability of those second-team games, there has been less evidence on which to make significant, life-changing decisions. The change to these regulations, crucially, will give 18-year-olds a full year to make their case and greater scope to focus on exams. As one second-team coach pointed out to The Cricketer, it also gives those youngsters the chance to work out whether a career in senior cricket is what they want to chase. "There is a difference between that and just being a very good junior player," he said.
One director of cricket, who backed this change, suggested that it supports the view that the greatest transition in young players comes between the ages of 18 and 20. The success of the South Asian Cricket Academy and the importance of the MCC Young Cricketers' programme – revived this year – have acted as valuable case studies for the argument. It has long been suggested that existing practices were costing the county game talented youngsters.
Jafer Chohan, for example, was released by Middlesex at 17, only for his development at university and then with SACA to bring him back into the professional arena with Yorkshire. He has since been in an England white-ball squad.
Until now, a county couldn't even keep on an 18-year-old who wasn't deemed ready to be signed on a casual basis, unless they paid the player to come in for sessions.
One academy director told The Cricketer that he expects the benefit of the extra year's academy coaching to lead to better players being signed and those players then to spend more time in the professional game once signed. Previously, counties would gamble on 18-year-olds, sometimes successfully but at other times with no great longevity, whereas the extra year ought to give greater confidence around talent identification.
It is understood that, at one point this summer, there were discussions around raising the maximum boys' academy age to 21. But settling on 19 makes logical sense, though, effectively taking players to the end of the year after school. In the era before rookie contracts, some counties would offer hybrid "academy-plus" deals, where players were paid to train and per matchday, essentially as a summer job.
Delayed concussion symptoms force Kent into mid-game substitution
Tawanda Muyeye has been replaced for the remainder of Kent's County Championship Division Two clash against Lancashire by Joe Denly after he was involved in a collision with his batting partner on day one
Tawanda Muyeye has been replaced by Joe Denly for the remainder of Kent's ongoing County Championship game against Lancashire.
The batter developed late concussion symptoms after he collided with Ben Compton while running between the wickets on day one of the Division Two match at Canterbury.
The action on day one was suspended for 10 minutes after the incident, in which both players passed an on-field concussion test.
But the symptoms were delayed, leading to the change ahead of the second day of action.
Tom Hartley did remove the stump, having already removed the bails by accident, to complete the run out, but the umpires deemed the ball dead.
With Compton lying in the middle of the pitch, Muyeye managed to stumble to the other end before falling to the turf.
In line with the ECB's Concussion Replacement Regulations, Denly, who will bat in the middle order in the second innings, has been brought into the side for the rest of the match.
Muyeye was eventually bowled by Tom Hartley for 48 as the home side slipped from 217 for 2 to 293 all out. Compton came through the clash unscathed, in terms of a head injury, and remains in the Kent team for the rest of the match after making 77 in the first innings.
Kent batsmen involved in mid-pitch collision but not run out
Umpire rules ball was dead as soon as Ben Compton and Tawanda Muyeye ran into each other despite Lancashire’s Tom Hartley removing stump
Will Macpherson
Two Kent batsmen were involved in a mid-pitch collision in their County Championship match against Lancashire, but neither was run out and both were passed fit to continue their innings.
Ben Compton and Tawanda Muyeye had shared a stand of 43 when the latter punched the left-arm spin of Tom Hartley into the offside.
The pair ran hard, completing the first run before setting off for a second. But with their eyes on the ball, they failed to notice each other and collided halfway down the track.
Compton immediately fell to the floor with Muyeye – whose helmet fell off – tumbling over him. Muyeye completed his run before falling to the ground, where Compton had stayed after the collision.
Meanwhile, the ball had been thrown in from the deep to Hartley. He had accidentally broken the stumps with his elbow as he collected the throw, before removing a stump to ensure the wicket was broken.
But as both batsmen received treatment from the medical team, Lancashire’s captain, the Australia batsman Marcus Harris, conferred with the umpires Surendiran Shanmugam and Anthony Harris, who confirmed that the ball was dead as soon as the two batsmen collided, with both requiring concussion tests. Therefore, they had completed one run, although some of the Lancashire fielders appeared frustrated and disappointed that neither man could be dismissed run out after the collision.
The England and Wales Cricket Board’s concussion regulations say: “If a player or umpire suffers a head trauma or the concussion of a player or umpire is suspected by an umpire, team-mate, team support staff or qualified medical professional (either immediately after a head or neck trauma or at any later time when the player or umpire is on the field of play), play in that Match will cease immediately and the Appropriate Medical Professional will be asked to enter the field of play to conduct an initial concussion assessment in accordance with the ECB Concussion Guidelines”.
Play was suspended for around 10 minutes while both men received treatment. Compton had a sore left wrist, while Muyeye’s helmet was repaired. Both men underwent concussion tests, which they passed, declaring them fit to carry on batting.
Lancashire will have been relieved that neither man lasted too long. Muyeye moved from 26 to 48 before being bowled by Hartley, before Compton – who added just two to his 75 – feathered a Mitchell Stanley short ball down the leg side.
Kent were eventually bowled out for 293, with Stanley taking his maiden first-class five-wicket haul. Lancashire reached stumps on 19 without loss.
The independent Cricket Discipline Panel (CDP) has issued its sanctions decision in relation to Yorkshire County Cricket Club. Yorkshire were charged following a Cricket Regulator investigation into multiple breaches of the Player & Match Officials Area (PMOA) Regulations during a Metro Bank One Day Cup match against Northamptonshire on 8th August 2025.
Yorkshire admitted the charges in relation to breaches of article 7.4.4 of the PMOA Regulations.
CDP Chair Richard Whittam KC issued Yorkshire with a £1,000 fine and a suspended 4 point deduction for Metro Bank One Day Cup (or equivalent). The points deduction is suspended for 24 months and will be activated if Yorkshire breach any further PMOA Regulations.
Trent Bridge says: We are dedicated to ensuring that the memberships we offer at Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club meet your expectations, are accessible and crucially, enable us to grow and diversify over time. We’re currently taking part in a game-wide review of the membership offering in England & Wales with the ECB, and want to ensure that everything we do aligns with our goal of growth whilst making cricket the most accessible sport in England & Wales. As such, we need your help. We would really appreciate it if you could take a couple of minutes to complete the short survey below. Your thoughts and opinions will help shape the future of our game and ensure we’re creating an experience that welcomes all fans. All responses will be aggregated and so we will not be able to identify you from your answers, unless you give us permission to contact you.  By completing the survey, you will have the opportunity to be entered into a prize draw to win your two tickets to an England international of your choice in 2026 (not including the Women’s T20 World Cup). Thank you for your feedback. |
Counties set to vote on reduced County Championship
GEORGE DOBELL: In an email sent to the counties yesterday (September 4), Mark McCafferty, the chair of the Professional Game Committee (PGC), set out the timeframe of next steps following recent discussions
The first-class counties are set to vote on whether to introduce a 13-game County Championship season before the end of September.
In an email sent to the counties yesterday (September 4), Mark McCafferty, the chair of the Professional Game Committee (PGC), outlined both the outcome of recent discussions over the schedule and the timeframe of next steps.
"It was very apparent from the discussions at the September 2 meeting that the Championship 1 version with 10 regular season matches plus three final series matches enjoyed the greatest support and that this should be the proposal that was taken forward," McCafferty wrote.
"As regards next steps, we believe that it's important to allow you time to discuss this revised proposal with your players, members and boards. We also need to take the revised proposal to the Professional Game Committee, which is scheduled to meet on Monday, September 8.
"Following that meeting, we will issue a final email and voting paper w/c Monday, September 15 that will allow all 18 PCCs to indicate their final preference."
The 13-match season would see 12 teams in the top division, but split across two conferences. The six teams in these conferences would play each other home and away (that's 10 games) before a split, which would then see the top three in each conference play one another to decide the Championship winner. The bottom three teams would be similarly engaged in a battle to avoid relegation.
Those behind the 13-match proposal argue that it is more about "revitalising" the Championship than cutting the fixture list. In particular, they argue that starting each season with 12 teams in with a chance of winning the title will increase interest, while the final few weeks of the season - destined to be dubbed 'the super sixes' - will see the top six in with a chance of silverware.
The bottom six from those top conferences will be similarly engaged in a battle to avoid relegation. The format's proposers hope this will mean fewer 'dead' games, promote the concept of 'the best v the best' and attract overseas players - including India overseas players - for a spell of high-quality, high-consequence first-class cricket.
The teams in the bottom group of six would also play 13 games a season. In their case, however, the entire fixture list will be defined before the start of the season. Proposers hope that the prospect of two teams winning promotion each year will allay concerns over a rump of also-rans emerging at the bottom of the sport.
As previously revealed by The Cricketer, this proposal would also see two extra group games added in the One Day Cup, meaning a guaranteed extra day of cricket for non-host counties during The Hundred.
It is not clear, at this stage, if the vote will pass. Several counties have told their members they will not support any cut in the Championship schedule and, if the vote is not passed (it requires a two-thirds majority), the current 14-match season will remain in place.
But proponents of the plan are increasingly confident. They believe they have 11 votes secured at this stage and believe there is scope for further persuasion at three or four other counties. It is hard to envisage Surrey, Somerset or Middlesex voting for the option.
The input of the PCA (the players' union) will also be crucial. They have made no secret of their desire to see a streamlined schedule in order to better protect their members and are thought likely to support this proposal.
Should the vote pass, the structure will remain in place until the end of 2031 season, with a "formal review" after 2029 "in order to assess the success of any new format and to consider other material changes in the game".
County chiefs propose strike action as schedule impasse frustration grows
GEORGE DOBELL: It looks increasingly likely that the County Championship structure will remain the same in 2026, with no sign of consensus being reached on any meaningful change
County chief executives have urged the players' union to initiate strike action in an effort to break the impasse over proposed changes to the men's calendar.
With county chairs unable to reach agreement on proposed options for next season, the Professional Cricketers' Association (the PCA; the players' union) CEO, Daryl Mitchell, informed a meeting of county chairs at Lord's that three county CEOs had suggested the players should strike in a bid to push through change.
The PCA have been making the point for several months that the current schedule not only compromises the quality of cricket being played but potentially threatens player welfare. In particular, they have highlighted the injury risks incurred by back-to-back matches and the danger of late-night travel between games.
They have not, however, threatened strike action and do not appear to be considering it as an option, nor have they supported or themselves proposed taking such a stand.
The PCA's views are supported by about half the first-class counties who accept the current schedule does not optimise the quality of cricket and places players, ground staff and coaches under undue pressure.
But with those counties frustrated at the reluctance of other counties to accept the suggestion for a cut in the number of games, it appears some are attempting to increase the pressure on those unwilling to change.
As things stand, it is understood that Surrey, Middlesex, Yorkshire, Somerset, Kent, Derbyshire and Essex have said they are uncomfortable with a cut in the number of Championship fixtures. Gloucestershire, meanwhile, are prepared to accept a cut but do not like the current suggestion of a bottom division of just six teams.
That leaves those wanting a cut well short of the two-thirds majority required to make such a change.
There was no breakthrough in talks at Lord's on Thursday. There are plans for more talks, and a vote, in the weeks ahead. With the season almost complete, however, and counties currently uncertain whether promotion or relegation can be confirmed, it seems increasingly likely there will be no change to the current Championship structure for the 2026 season.
JOE POCKLINGTON highlights the success of the University Centre of Cricketing Excellence system and asks, with ECB university funding being redirected, what the future holds
Joe Pocklington | 15/01/2025 at 15:00
Jack Brooks and Chris Rushworth have a total of 1,200 first-class wickets between them but what unites the two other than their stelling careers? Both made their first-class debuts aged 23 or over (Brooks was 25), a testament to the late bloomer out there and the importance of giving people a chance.
Cricket is a peculiar game; its highly skilled nature lends itself to people emerging at various ages. What's more, with the men's English domestic game essentially consisting of just one professional tier, cricketers often find themselves needing to plan for life after playing, unable to fund later life through the earnings from their playing days.
Getting a degree is a good place to start. Therefore, it is important to highlight universities and the University Centre of Cricketing Excellence (UCCE) system – not least at a time when the ECB are reallocating funding to other areas of the talent pathway.
Historically, the options for those pursuing the professional game beyond the age of 18 were aplenty. These included the MCC Young Cricketers, the UCCE system with hubs across the country (Loughborough, Oxford, Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Leeds/Bradford) and the British Universities side, the best players from the aforementioned hubs, which played in the Second XI Championship and toured around the world in various tournaments.
While the Young Cricketers and British Universities sides are no more, Cambridge's UCCE status ended in 2022 when they declined further funding. Indeed, as mentioned above, the entire system is under threat.
This loss of two paths to professional cricket leads to an inequity. Unless a money tap is available, most cannot afford to pursue their professional ambitions into their 20s. Professional cricket should not just be an option for those who can afford to chase it. We all know cricket has accessibility and image problems – see the ICEC report – and this is one fix that can be resolved.
For balance, the void left by the Young Cricketers and British Universities has been filled with other initiatives such as SACA (South Asian Cricket Academy), the ACE Programme and increased investment into the National Counties Cricket Association (previously Minor Counties). Both have witnessed success, especially SACA, with numerous doors opened and professional contracts signed because of this greater equality of opportunity.
However, why are we content as a sport with the idea that we take with one hand and give with the other? That is, why does one pathway have to be sacrificed to make way for another? Shouldn't there be as many paths open to the professional game as possible?
Through private equity and satellite TV, the game has never been awash with so much capital. The latest TV deal struck by Sky Sports and the ECB is reported to be worth £880m to 2028. Clare Connor, who was Interim ECB chief executive at the time of the deal, lauded praise on the investment, saying the deal promised to make cricket "even more accessible over the coming years".
It seems sensible, then, to pair these ambitions of accessibility with a sustainable, wide-reaching and holistic talent pathway where the ability to both enjoy and succeed in the game is available to people of all backgrounds and ages. Given there's so much money flying around, you'd hope these ambitions are easily fulfilled.
"Alongside my training, I also had the chance to study economics and politics, further developing my professional skills which have served me well as I exited the game… [the degree] has therefore provided a vital part in my career progression"
Like many aspiring cricketers out there, I was told at 19 that there was no contract for me at Sussex and that I should go away, work at my game and return home in the summer to see if there were any second XI opportunities. Via a winter in Australia, I chose the University of Leeds and Leeds/Bradford UCCE to pursue these ambitions.
On the surface, three years in Leeds offered me some incredible memories: two fixtures at Headingley v Yorkshire in the annual county matches, three consecutive university finals, the most recent of which at Lord's, a tour to South Africa, the dismissal of Harry Brook (one for the grandkids) and friendships to last a lifetime.
Nevertheless, the magic of a system like this is not revealed in these highlights. It is in the personal development, the ability to pause, reflect and think about what you want from the game but also, crucially, to have an alternative plan ahead should those dreams not be realised.
From a cricketing perspective, let me return to my original point about Rushworth and Brooks. Not everyone can or will be good enough at 18 years old to receive a professional contract. People develop at different speeds; technically, emotionally and physically. The UCCE system is a brilliant option to hone one's craft whilst also getting a degree at some of the country's top universities. The standard is incredibly high, a reflection of the small gap to the professional game.
Upon arriving in Leeds I found myself surrounded by many who were close to the professional ranks and had similar experiences with their respective counties. Sharing these stories was cathartic for us all, gaining safety from knowing that you're not the only one to have come so close yet felt so far from achieving your dream.
The most powerful lessons you learn from a system like this are humility, independence and whether you really want it or not. When you're cast away from home, with all the temptations of socials available literally every single night of the week, the tendency to say university work is getting too much, you realise whether the game is for you. Additionally, from a cricketing perspective, away from all the coaches of your youth, you develop a deep, deep understanding of your own game. These are vital lessons for any cricketer and show the value of giving people the chance to develop beyond the age of 18.
It is important to underline that the system continues to produce many, many professionals. In the past three seasons, Michael Booth (Warwickshire), Ed Middleton (Gloucestershire), Will Smale, Asa Tribe (both Glamorgan), Chris Benjamin (Warwickshire and Kent), Hishaam Khan (Worcestershire) and Tom Hinley (Worcestershire) have emerged. Hinley, who in September signed a year-long contract at Worcestershire following impressive performances in the One-Day Cup, could not speak highly enough of the system:
"The UCCE system provided me with a professional-level platform to train and develop since being released [from Sussex in 2022] allowing me to make a return to the professional game this year. It should be seen as a route for players who haven't made it out of academies to still get the opportunity for high-level coaching and facilities. It should be seen as a viable and valuable option for getting into professional cricket."
Leeds/Bradford, too, has had a rich vein of talent come through its doors in years gone by: Nick Gubbins, Joe Leach, Ben Slater, Billy Root, Martin Andersson, Luis Reece, Josh de Caires and Toby Roland-Jones to name a few.
Taylor Cornall, the most recent to join this list following stints at Lancashire and Worcestershire, is full of praise for the system.
"As far as my cricket career goes, I owe everything to the UCCE system. It provided me a springboard to push on into the professional game. Upon first arriving at Leeds, I was an 18-year-old, who had only played two second-team games for Lancashire, I had never been in an academy or had regular access to first-class facilities.
"When I left four years later, I had played first-class cricket, scored a century against Yorkshire at Headingley, and had two clubs offering me professional contracts. Without access to first-class coaching and facilities, this dream would never have become a reality."
Cornall, who has since left the game after being released in 2023, underlines the value of having a degree to prepare for life without cricket.
"Alongside my training, I also had the chance to study Economics and Politics, further developing my professional skills which have served me well as I exited the game… [the degree] has therefore provided a vital part in my career progression," he added.
The value in having a backup plan was a sentiment Nat Bowley, formerly of Leicestershire and now Loughborough UCCE, felt strongly about.
"You see it often at the end of each year where lads are having to scramble for a backup plan because the game hasn't worked out the way they might've been expecting. I think that having a university degree gives a bit of peace of mind to players that they can be prepared for what their life may look like after cricket. On top of that, university gives you the chance to grow up and mature and the ability to take your mind off cricket."
Josh de Caires of Middlesex and formerly Leeds/Bradford, meanwhile, spoke about the game having a responsibility to ensure those who fall out the system are equipped to take on the working world.
"These days most people are getting degrees so if you're pushed to prioritise cricket but, for whatever reason, you have to leave the professional game earlier than expected but you don't have a degree, you're chasing your tail in the working world," he said.
Cornall speaks passionately about keeping talent in the system, arguing that counties should have stronger relationships with UCCEs.
"There is only a small percentage of players who are ready to go straight into first-class cricket at 18 years old. There must be a way to keep this talent in the game and allow players to continue showcasing their skills to the first-class counties…[the UCCE system] will provide further opportunities for players and allow clubs to create a continued pipeline of talent who may have not been ready at 18."
Whilst funding and a concentration of talent is likely to be a barrier to all counties having a partnered UCCE, the Loughborough set-up, with three counties – Leicester, Notts and Derby – all in close proximity shows that these clubs have significant talent under their nose. Greater integration between counties and UCCEs only likely to be a good thing for the country's talent pathway.
The chance to prepare for life after cricket and give opportunities at the highest level to those who haven't been afforded them before seems like the perfect balance. With private investment into the game looking like it won't slow down, finding a way to maintain UCCEs to ensure cricket does right by those who are so close yet, for the moment, not within the professional game, is vital.
In so doing, late bloomers are allowed the chance to develop at their own pace and ensure the list of names of those forging successful careers from their early to mid-20s grows longer. The careers of Rushworth and Brooks make the game a richer, more diverse place, and the UCCEs promise a continuation of this.
The joint experience of all those involved in this system is an entirely positive one, the ability to combine sporting and academic ambitions is perfectly aligned with ECB's ambitions for a sustainable, accessible and meritocratic talent pathway. As the cricket pie gets bigger, it's vital that this slice remains intact.
Wales’ most famous cricket ground is about to host its final match
Rain thwarted our correspondent’s attempt to play on the ground where Sir Garfield Sobers hit six sixes but he still bids a fond farewell
Syld Berry 30/08
Sunday is the 57th anniversary of Sir Garfield Sobers hitting six sixes in an over – and the last day that a cricket match will be played at St Helen’s in Swansea.
Cricket is always more festive, less dour or attritional, at a seaside ground and Sobers was in festive mood on the last day of August in 1968. Nottinghamshire, a county that had atrophied before the immediate registration of overseas players in 1968, were looking to hit out against Glamorgan and declare. Sobers, as their captain, hit out like no batsman before.
We can still savour the footage and feline grace of the most gifted of all cricketers. Of the first five sixes, off the left-arm spin of Malcolm Nash from round the wicket, Sobers pulls three leg side and straight-drives two. In these T20 days the second of them would have been swallowed by long-off, Roger Davis, but he falls back over the boundary.
Sobers was thinking that Nash would revert to his normal medium-pace for the final ball – in order to avoid immortal notoriety – and pitch it shorter. He coiled up like a leopard, aimed leg side and the ball disappeared down one of the terraced streets outside St Helen’s. Sobers declared; human perfection, of a kind, had been achieved.
Glamorgan have played first-team matches at the extraordinary number of 19 grounds but St Helen’s has hosted more of their first-class games than any other, 416. Yet Sunday will host the last cricket match there, after 150 years, when Swansea’s second XI play Pontardawe. Only one ground where England have played an international match has closed to cricket – Sheffield’s Bramall Lane, which staged an Ashes Test in 1902 and a Victory Test in 1945 – so St Helen’s will be the second.
Back in 1973, when one-day international cricket was beginning to take off, England took on New Zealand at St Helen’s. It was England’s fifth ODI and only the sixth worldwide. Different times – to the extent that when England chased a target of 159, Sir Geoffrey Boycott scored 20 off 88 balls, Dennis Amiss 100 off 121.
Swansea CC will move to a ground in Sketty while memories of famous contests at St Helen’s fade. It is the terracing which makes the ground a seaside amphitheatre, with the beach across the road. “St Helen’s has an atmosphere all its own,” Wisden declared at the end of the 1968 season. “It is infectious and all-embracing. It also inspires the players.” Glamorgan won the second of their three county championships the next season.
I attended the passing of Bramall Lane in 1973, although I did not dig up the turf at the end of the game as spectators were invited to do.
Earlier this week, I was picked to play at St Helen’s against Wales over-70s for Gloucestershire over-70s. The ground was built on a sandbank and by the start time of 1pm the outfield had dried after the overnight storms, but the square was sodden. “It’s the first rain we’ve had for months,” said Swansea’s secretary Chris Hamilton-Smith, looking out at the parched field.
I climbed the damp steps of terracing to the dressing-rooms: the away team is always given the smaller one. A decent chance I could have shared the same peg as Sir Garfield. Many of the old photographs in the pavilion are of rugby players, as Wales played 51 internationals here, with a crowd of 50,000 in 1930. The last game of rugby at St Helen’s, for the time being, was played in April. The Ospreys have been given permission by the council to renovate St Helen’s as a rugby stadium, but Welsh rugby and money are not synonymous; no sign of any diggers moving in next week.
A bracing wind came off Swansea Bay, from west to east, so that Sobers would have been hitting downwind. It had dried the outfield but the square remained soaked. I bowled a ball, off the square, and it turned, so the ground’s reputation as the place for spinners must be true.
At tea on the third and final day, the touring South Africans were 54 without loss, needing 148 for victory, back in 1951. They had already beaten Glamorgan at Cardiff, by an innings, so no shock was on the cards here. The difference was that St Helen’s was packed with a crowd of 25,000 – and these spectators made things happen.
Glamorgan had three briskish off-spinners, just the type for a ground on a sandbank. The South Africans lost all 10 wickets for 29 runs in less than an hour. Wilf Wooller – then Glamorgan’s captain, later the BBC commentator when Sobers hit his sixes, and a some-time Telegraph correspondent – was carried on shoulders from the field. Land of my Fathers was sung, and it was the only county game the South Africans lost on their whole tour.
Glamorgan beat the 1964 Australians here by 36 runs “amid tumultuous scenes by an excited and jubilant Welsh crowd” so Wisden recorded. “As soon as they reached the ground and saw the pitch they [the Australians] sensed it would be susceptible to spin.” You guess it might have resembled a photograph of the beach. “A crowd of 20,000 saw Glamorgan consolidate their advantage in a tense atmosphere one usually associates with a Welsh Rugby International.”
When they beat the Australians on their following tour in 1968 by 79 runs, again at St Helen’s, Glamorgan became the first county to defeat them on two consecutive tours. Again the home side’s recipe was spin bowling and close catching. “We held the catches that mattered,” said Glamorgan’s captain Tony Lewis, later to be the cricket and rugby correspondents of The Sunday Telegraph, “and it made the winning difference.”
In 1985 Matthew Maynard scored a dazzling century here on his Glamorgan debut – and I seem to remember him hitting Yorkshire’s spinners into the sea. Maynard could have been England’s Harry Brook had he batted in a less conformist era.
Glamorgan’s last game here was a one-dayer against Derbyshire in 2019. According to Hamilton-Smith, the ball was hit out of the ground 27 times – and the county did not want the expense of putting up netting, so that was it.
I took a last stroll around St Helen’s. At a stadium in Cardiff, Welsh Fire have been collecting the wooden spoon in the Hundred, both men and women. Had they played here, and picked a local finger-spinner or two, in front of a passionate crowd, there might have been signs of Welshness and fire.
Lancashire leadership on the precipice as county members crank up the pressure
GEORGE DOBELL: A series of SGMs are planned at several first-class counties amid discontent around the direction of travel and the process of determining the structure for next summer and beyond
Daniel Gidney is facing a vote of no confidence from a group of disgruntled Lancashire members who claim he is guilty of "misconduct".
The chief executive will face the vote at a Special General Meeting (SGM) on September 8, following an accusation he effectively "misled" members over the ongoing domestic review. This, the resolution alleges, "amount[s] to misconduct".
Specifically, it is alleged that Gidney told Lancashire members, who had previously been informed they would be given a binding vote on Lancashire's position in the negotiations, that the ECB had given the counties three options for the future schedule of the County Championship. All options outlined by the club featured 12 games a season.
The group of members insist this was a misrepresentation of the position at the time. They point to a leaked email, sent from Warwickshire chair Mark McCafferty (also chair of the Professional Game Committee), which suggests options for a 14-match season were also being discussed by counties.
"The requisitioning members believe this shows that the chief executive knowingly misled the members on both the choices put forward by the ECB and the timing for the final vote," the request for an SGM states.
"Member choice was wrongly restricted, and undue time pressure was put on members to vote before any objections could be made. The requisitioning members believe that these actions amount to misconduct on the part of the chief executive."
Gidney strenuously denies the allegations. He insists he acted in good faith and provided members with the most up-to-date information as it was received from the ECB.
Lancashire also point out they held three members' forums to discuss options and that, at the time, it did seem a 12-game option was most likely. The Cricketer understands the club is also exploring the option of defamation proceedings against some of those involved in organising the call for an SGM.
The resolution at the SGM is not binding but would be an embarrassment to Gidney, the longest serving male CEO around the first-class counties, and put the board in a difficult position. A simple majority is all that is required for the resolution to be passed.
"Our chief executive has our full and unequivocal support," a letter circulated to members from the Lancashire board states. "The board strongly urges all members to vote against the resolution."
The letter goes on to remind members that, when Gidney was appointed (at the end of 2012), the club had suffered three successive years of losses and was facing the possibility of bankruptcy. Revenue has grown to around £35m a year (from around £10m when he started) with the ground redevelopment bringing in a large amount of non-cricket related revenue.
"We are proud to be a member-led club and encourage all our members to have their say," a spokesperson for the club said.
"Lancashire Cricket is now investing record sums in the game after facing bankruptcy in 2012. This is why the board and coaching staff are opposing these motions, and ask members to join them."
The same group of members had previously called for a vote of no confidence in the club's chair, Andy Anson. But he stepped down after the club received notification of the call for the SGM - it appears he was likely to depart in three months anyway, but brought forward the date - so Gidney effectively became the subject of the requisitionists.
Lancashire is also facing an SGM on September 1. On that date, there is a call for a vote of no confidence in the nominations committee.
Meanwhile, the entire Nottinghamshire committee is facing a similar vote at an Extraordinary General Meeting on September 11. Two resolutions will be voted upon at the meeting, the first demanding that the club "oppose any proposal reducing the number of County Championship games" and the second the vote into each member of the club's general committee (GC).
"In the petitioning members' view, too many GC members have made little or no attempt…. to liaise with members before making decisions on our behalf," the outline of the resolution reads. "A consequence of this is the loss of trust in the GC and the club itself by the petitioning members."
It might be noted that the same person, Nick Evans, a member at both clubs, is the lead petitioner behind the call for SGMs at both Lancashire and Nottinghamshire. A petition for an SGM has also been presented at Essex, though no meeting has been scheduled at the time of reporting.
"The clubs could not be further apart in the way they have reacted," Evans told The Cricketer. "Notts could not have been more helpful in terms of arranging the meeting, communicating with the members and allowing them to make up our own minds. They've provided a model example of how to react in such circumstances.
"Lancashire have been far more resistant and even hostile. They've been very defensive, it feels like they've tried to thwart us at every opportunity. That's probably why we've ended up in this position."
In the longer term, The Cricketer understands the ECB, who have become frustrated by the difficulty in passing structural reforms, may seek to introduce governance changes to raise the threshold by which members can call SGMs.
In some cases, including both Notts and Lancs, only 100 signatures are required to call such a meeting. In Lancashire's case, that is fewer than two per cent of the voting membership, which is currently around 6,000.
At heart, the episode highlights the discontent from many county members around repeated attempts to cut the number of County Championship games played each season. Similar sentiment effectively blocked Andrew Strauss' plans to bring in changes a few years ago.
As things stand, it seems probable - though not certain - that the counties will vote on a proposal which would see the Championship schedule cut to 12 or 13 games (six teams contesting promotion, relegation and the championship title would play 13 matches) in the coming days. If that proposal is rejected, the schedule will remain as it is now with 14 matches per team per season.
Do county Exec's of those counties supporting a reduction in CC matches, ever stop and think of the consequences of alienating their regular customers, in most cases the people who legally own the club ?
ReplyDeleteVery strong case from Joe. Would NCCC Exec even understand it ? Sorry, from some of the things they say, I do wonder.
ReplyDeleteStrike action would be extremely stupid the only people it would hurt would be members of PCA Union. There is lots of amateur club cricket to watch for us, of a very high standard. So do we really think the current Notts squad are stressed out over too much cricket ? It really is pathetic, and an insult to people who really have a mental illness. Any players/clubs still travelling to another county by private car, it is their stupid fault. Think most uses coaches,as football clubs all do.
ReplyDeleteHave to agree with you Rich on that one - players need a dose of life in the real working world for a bit of reality - a point made by David Millns at a NCL evening after he had done his stint working down the coal mines
DeleteAnd now back at home 🏡 and gutted after yet another Blaze game being weather affected(that’s 3 at TB this season) the poor overworked players are not, in the reality of a more normal and wet British Summer- actually playing their amount of scheduled days of play due to days being abandoned completely or massively truncated not to throw in 4 day games naturally finishing earlier
Just doesn’t wash with me Rich and anyone who can’t handle this workload, tell you what, shut up 🤐 - and get yourself a much lower paid job instead and let’s see just how quickly the novelty wears off - I reckon about half of your very first day !!!!!
Well said!
Delete82 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteBeing a full time professional cricketer these days is a pretty good way off making a living .
Years ago it was much harder . Most players took ordinary jobs in winter to keep the larder stocked up at home . Players today have tremendous benefits and working lives . Read the autobiographies of famous players like Larwood and Trueman . Their workload was fantastic . Often finishing a five day Test match on on a Wed or Thursday and then playing for their County the following day ! Many players could not afford a car and went to many matches using public transport .
I would guess that most first team cricket players are on an annual income of £70,000 to £100,000 plus .
Strike action would not be supported by cricket fans and the PCA should be careful what they wish for !
I wouldn't know what the County players' salaries are, but as most are privately educated,/ public schools products you would suspect them to have certain aspirations towards lifestyles that would be beyond the means of the average Joe Public. The argument that it's only a short career and that they have to earn enough for their retirement is all again way out of line with what the average person now has to travel through in life. I think 5 career changes (of direction) is now to be expected for current school leavers. If the PCA call players out on strike, the only result will be a loss of respect from their supporters.
DeleteHardwork, pressure, stress and tireness mean different things to different people - some (jobs/careers) are recompensed for it, whilst others aren't - I wouldn't put cricketers into the "aren't box". Just my opinion.
However they dress it up, it is a cut to the number of County Championship matches. Will Notts allow a vote of members on it ? Oh, silly me !
ReplyDeleteAll this upset and mistrust caused by what now might be just two days of cricket (plus the slashing of 2 Blast evenings). With proper consultation and a members' binding vote on the schedule afterwards and all of this process would have been concluded by now. As Alan Higham predicted, "we are getting a yellow shed*", something nobody wanted.
DeleteThe EGM 1 vote becomes alive again now, at least. The EGM 2 votes are a result of the club's navigation through this process, who do you have confidence in, who do you trust now?
Perhaps the staus quo will win out... we can only hope.
82 NOT OUT
ReplyDeleteTHE WHOLE PROCESS OF WORKING OUT A PROPER CRICKET SCHEDULE FOR FUTURE SUMMERS HAS BEEN PAINFUL TO WATCH .
You just feel that the new franchise holders will have an increasing say and influence in the shape of things to come . Are any of the 100 Comp franchise holders remotely interested in the health of the 4 day County game ? I think we all know the answer to that question . The fans cannot speak with one voice because of logistics and no real organisation to bring them together . So it’s the various Members protests and demands for consultation that is now so important .
So many different voices saying so many different things . Proposals are two a penny . A compromise has to be reached soon surely !?
Having the trial after the verdict.
ReplyDelete82 NOT OUT
ReplyDelete“ it’s not my fault it’s raining !”
Famous quote from Umpire Dickie Bird after he had taken the players off after a few drops of rain had fallen !