The Spirit of Cricket is slip-sliding away...

I am maudlin today...

the person who gave me my love for 'the metaphysical game' is slowly but surely waving me good-bye.

It's not an ex-boyfriend, but a primary nurturer-carer-giver.

But cricket is leaving behind its old self-image, too. 

The hoo-haa over Cap'n Collingwood and the collision last Wednesday at the Brit Oval means that this 'self-image' still matters. But - I keep on thinking this - what if that match was being played for the proverbial $20 million in Antigua? What then? Wherefore the 'spirit' of the game then?

Just like the octogenarian who gave me my love for cricket, that rather Edwardian concept of the game is quietly slipping away.

Cricket should be put back on the sporting 'A' list immediately!

off I tilt again... can't help myself

Could this channel be the new home of cricket in the UK... ?

(previously posted to a poster who wrote an excellent article on BBC's 606 today)

Cricket should be put back on the sporting 'A' list immediately.

I personally think that the best way for cricket to be brought back to the majority of TV watchers in the UK will be through BBC digital and 'red-button' channels. A quick glance at the Radio Times tells me that, if the Government did return cricket to the Sporting Crown Jewels, the game could (with some imagination and a some sheets of graph paper divided into 168 squares) be back on TV within days.

BBC3, BBC4, CBBC and CBeebies have tranches of airtime (behind a cute red + white screen) that could be swopped for cricket as more than several posters... ...have pointed out.

My one concern is that 'the satellite corporation' may not relinquish its prize of EXCLUSIVE TV RIGHTS (and the millions of pounds already invested in its name into cricket) so readily.

Digital bandwith is now here. IMHO the BBC do not want to show cricket on TV; and will do so only if - or when - the Government decides that it is expedient (ie it will win them votes).

Gotta encourage your allies - I hope that he does post the letter to the Sports Minister.

A surfeit of cricket today...

Today, England play new Zealand. The Asia Cup started yesterday. I have finally put my website address on a forum (albeit at the back end of one about Cricket TV rights). Should be a good day, right? Spoilt for choice!!!

We'll see.

I just luuuuurve this picture! Reminds me of Jamaica

It's of the Oz playing a UWI Uni side in Barbados.

Sunday June 22, 04:13 AM
Australia's Nathan Bracken, second right, bowls during the tour match against the Vice Chancellor's XI at the 3W's Oval in the University of the West Indies in Bridgetown, Barbados, Saturday, June 21, 2008.

(from Yahoo! cricket photos. ©Yahoo.com cricketing bit)

Trescothick gives Worcestershire some sauce...

Marcus Trescothick rattled his Sabre at Worcestershire as they crashed to 145 all out.

The former England opening bat took 107 runs from the Royals in just 57 balls to aid Somerset's canter to victory at Taunton: more on the Twenty20 tussle here.

He's doing what needs to be done. But I still think he'd walk into the England side, even now. Nonetheless I'm thrilled for the Sabres. The team need to do a lot more winning, though...

My Most Special Guest 'speaks'...

...can you guess who it is yet?

The Golden Goose (of Twenty20) can only lay so many eggs...

The Most Special Guest opines about the T20 in the IPL. As he was a commentator for much of the tournament, I'm sure that he is perfectly entitled to share his views with the cricket-loving public in India (and beyond).

This link was shared by a poster on the BBC's 606 cricket board. I forget who, but thanks to you are due.

18:24h - New Zealand have just won 'fair and square' against England in a contest of grit and attrition. Good for them - the Kiwis sure needed that win. They secured the win by 22 runs, England only needing 183 to win this game. Kyle Mills of New Zealand was named the Man of the Match, probably for his half-century.

The boards are full of live cricket on TV 'moans and groans'...

... not seen it like this since I first joined the 606 boards last year May.

Here's an article from the Telegraph (was this the mysterious article that Giles Clarke was so quick to dismiss as 'simply wrong'?)

And another surprise from a Mr Geoffrey Boycott - why was this story not covered more widely? Is it true what he says here?

And yet another link - Mr John Grogan being a thorn in the flesh asking awkward questions...

I've decided to make a permanent home of my front page, updating it with stories, news and views looking forward to the day when live cricket will once again be seen on free-to-air TV. I have to live in hope, because even if I do get the money together, I am not allowed to put up a satellite dish in the building where I live (!)

A true 'WTF' moment if ever there was one.

More bad news regarding live free-to-air coverage...

Well, this is more bad news regarding live cricket coverage for non-Sky subscribers.

Thanks to Cricket Match Special for this piece of info...

Here's the latest nail in the coffin for live cricket on TV...

not much to say, really...

Will WIndies take it from the Oz...?

Well ! It looks as if the WIndies are finally taking the fight to the opposition...

It's good to see (sorry, I mean hear - I'm listening to this stream from the WIBC site (you can keep for future reference) )

http://stream.netro.ca/cananewslive

Sadly, there are now eight wickets down. It is good to note, however, that the WIndies are not going belly-up like they did at Durham Riverside last year...

The crowd are getting behind their 'boyee' Sulieman Benn (who is now just been out for unlucky 13!)

"This West Indies team can turn this corner and turn it very qu

ickly" according to the great man Sir Vivian Richards... encouraging the resurgent Windies team not to feel deflated even though the team may lose this afternoon to a gritty, determined Australia.
"they want to see a fight where the West Indies is concerned" Sir Viv again, referring to the hopes of the swelling crowd in the Kensington Oval (quite).

Looks as if the West Indies (new name required for the 21st century) are starting to really pick themselves up at 387 for 9. About time.

At least they're not New Zealand.

UPDATE: Australia have just taken the final wicket. 387 all out "they've put up a tremendous show here"... Jim Maxwell talking of the WIndies valiant, but ultimately doomed attempt to take this match back from Australia. Eighty-seven runs was the difference in the end. Australia had to struggle for this one. Fair play to the Oz. Great match to follow today, and all credit to Sir Viv for "keeping hope alive(!)"

Simon Katich is the Man of the Match for his 158 (or 157) runs. Shivnarine Chanderpaul gets Man of the Series for over 400 runs in the series.

Cricket is in for some 'very interesting times'...

An old Chinese curse says: "May you live in interesting times"...

But seriously - I recognise that the game has to be modernised /updated /retouched and so on. What's going on at the moment though, seems more like a cheap makeover supervised by a bunch of cowboy builders.

Kevin Pietersen's comments on 50-over cricket yesterday...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/jun/15/englandcricketseries.englandcricketteam

and this news - which has real implications for Twenty20 cricket championships...

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In the midst of this feeding frenzy, I see no provision for 'free-to-air' TV or anything that might actually develop the game beyond its present demographic (in the UK) being mentioned.

Is cricket becoming the new 'football'? "Wassup wit dat?" (i.e. What's up, doc) ?

What's with the Andrew Symonds 'eesh' ?

Andrew Symonds can make one green with envy...

There seems to be some seriously negative stuff around regarding Andrew Symonds today... an article on the BBC's 606 couldn't even be bothered to get his name right! 

Symonds has a unique way of getting people's backs up... he's Australian (yet he really isn't), he's a man of colour, yet clearly profiles as 'white' culturally (- but that ain't his fault. Many people of colour who grew up amongst their own are far worse and with much less justification). He seems like an ordinary bloke to me (yet he was the most expensive foreign import in the IPL). And his batting and fielding skills are truly world-class; yet - even now - some question his abilities and his entitlement to wear the prized 'baggy green' cap of Australian Test cricket.

The dreadlocked one (as opposed to the sleeping-in variety) has been accused of cheating by various sources for his refusal to walk when 'it clearly nicked the bat' (on this occasion during the Third Test in Bridgetown, Barbados against the West Indies). I don't know if he's guilty, I didn't see the alleged incident. But I do know that other Australian cricketers, and players from other countries, nations and federations also behave in this fashion. Why has Symonds been singled out again(?)

My personal view on the matter is this: if it is not illegal to stay at the crease until the umpire gives you 'out', then I don't think it's fair to criticise any player for not walking (even if you might consider it to be bad sportsmanship). Of course, I do recognise that walking is the decent, honest thing to do if you know that you, as a batsman, nicked the ball with the bat.

But with all this money swishing around cricket today, I'm not holding my breath waiting for cricketers to 'walk'. Umpires must be given full control over all available technology. That will confirm their authority at the crease, help to avoid controversies (à la Australia v India 2008)', and it's fairest to all sides.

Cricinfo pretty pictures

I'll see how I feel about this tomorrow. But today, I like

Thank GOD for BTVision Classic Cricket...

...now they should advertise it.

I came across BTVision Classic Cricket entirely by accident - whilst browsing the programme selections in 'OnDemand'. Why, oh why don't they advertise their stuff?

I am once again £3:00/month the poorer - but I can access 'Botham's Ashes', the 50-over World Cup Finals from 1975, 1979 and 1983 and other cricket programmes. 

BTVision Sport certainly keep their talents hidden under a bushel. Simon Hughes was very good here as presenter (not boring like on C5 highlights), but the cricket brought back some powerful memories... (and a few painful ones - I actually survived my most dreadful teenage year!) and it gives me a reason to write some prose for you, the reader.

In case you want to know more, here's the link to this nostalgia fest.

Meanwhile... back at the Stanford ranch (oops, sorry I meant the ECB HQ)...

This link is mysterious... just who is the offending Sunday newspaper?

ECB asks for correction

Getting a little worried that the predictions regarding lack of TV coverage are starting to become true, hmm?

$100 million for HOW MANY matches???

Is this the beginning of the end... ?

The anouncement was made Wednesday - (Sir) Allen Standford is stumping up 100 million US dollars to five matches between an England side and a 'Stanford XI' from the Caribbean (sorry, West Indies) over a five-year period (if I got that right). 

The BBC's report and a vid of the press conference is here

An alternate take on this jazz is here...

I am very concerned that the game will lose its soul (if it hasn't already), and that all that money will destroy the pursuit (which it most certainly will do, IMO). The 'winner take all' mentality is surely anathema to cricket. 

I recognise that we now live in the twenty-first century. Most people (myself included) do not have the time to continually watch Test Match cricket. 

But if the sport were more widely available on the TV (I mean terrestrial /free-to-air TV), perhaps cricket would not be so dependent upon Sir Allen's largesse, or any other billionaire's passing fancy.

Or maybe (just maybe) I am being naive. Again. Crazy to think that this point in cricket's history may be the beginning of a thousand (or 100 million) tears shed for the game that I love so much - and I sense the spirit of that game become more elusive by the hour...

Am I the only one feeling queasy about all this?

My First Proper Blog.

At last.

I hope to communicate with other like-minded individuals on cricket, mostly.

But wait - there's more; after I've had my (not quite midnight) dinner.