The heat is on...

I have not seen this anywhere else...

I nearly missed this story.

Will the Government stand up to BSkyB and make them sort out some free live coverage with the terrestrial broadcasters for next summer? Or will a ‘fudge’ be concocted that denies universal coverage to the terrestrial TV viewer? After all, the satellite broadcaster has poured a lot of money and televisual expertise into cricket: county matches are also covered, and energy and focus have been brought to the sport. But who cares about all that if only 300,000 or so viewers see the matches?

Channel 4 did lots of energising for cricekt too - with the added handicap of inappropriate advertising, and slouching off mid-over to watch some sad soap opera. Yet Sunset & Vine garnered more than several awards for their cricket coverage...

If the Government did insist that a terrestrial broadcaster show the cricket - who would answer the call? The BBC? C4? 5ive (Channnel 5) ? If none of them bid for the live rights a few months back, how will they seek to convince the Government (and the E(W)CB) of their interest now? Perhaps the E(W)CB are desperate for exposure, just as I surmised in a previous blog, and on poorcricketfan’s website.

The review hasn‘t taken place yet. But when it does, I’m hoping that live cricket coverage of the major tournaments in the UK will not be relegated to the satellite channel, but that anyone with a bonafide interest in cricket (or anyone per se who just wants to know what cricket is) can watch the whole match. Live. On free-to-air television.

That’s all I’ve ever wanted.

Cricket lives... ...at the Paddington Rec (of all places)!

Happy to see a live cricket match in progress at the Paddington Rec this afternoon, somewhat after 5PM I'd guess.

One side (fielding) had on mostly black kit. (Kiwis, p’raps) The other side - yellow, with green and white. Was too far away to discern, but did hear two of the fielding side chatter whilst they fielded a ball. Sounded like Aussie, or Protean (RSA) to me.

But in any case, I was glad I detoured there today. it’s not too far away from me, and I came back feeling a lot better. I bought some water, bananas and Crunchies at S*mer**e*d before hand (with a Halva bar).

I do need to get out more. This place where I must live is not healthy for me and I am too poor to afford anywhere else. So I must find a job. Soon.

Nonetheless, it was a delight to see cricket at the Rec. There is also a girls’ team that play there. I forgot to take down the details, but I will find out more. There is also a Courtney’s at the Rec. No need for a membership, apparently. Good.

Feeling refreshed. But must I take a walk in the park to clear my head every time I feel down? (better than sweeties, anyway)

Was this an answer to the question I posed on my last post?

A beautiful picture of children playing the game in Pakistan.

Hope that it’s not too late for cricket in the UK as far as the ‘yoof’ are concerned.

Here’s the organisation set up to halt the decline of the sport in the state school sector.

Summer’s Gone...

From Lord’s QuikPix 04/09/2008 16:35 - 17:15

I went to Lord’s today. Took some pictures.

Some not bad, if rather dark. It wasn’t warm - but not cold, either.

Summer has slipped through the fingers this year, just as it did last year and the year before that.

Felt like an alien walking around, not like at the Oval. Loads of 'richies' live there.

Still, the 187 makes it a deffo should I ever land a good job there.

ODI Cricket ends - no fireworks for England

The final ODI yesterday at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff was rained off, which means that England take the ODI series 4-0.

Love the plastic sheeting(!) The ECB are mean...

Hope the groundstaff get the support they need. I don't blame them, it’s easy to blame the staff when the bossess don’t want to spend money.

New drainage for Sophia Gardens? Why not! Bring it on!!!

Cricket finds itself a 'widow' in the next...

D'ya see ‘her’ the other day - with that strange-looking guy throwing her ‘corn‘ (and she picking it up too!) ?

Cricket once had ‘game’.

Man, I stayed up into the night to please that fickle spirit - and once followed those brave souls around the world (via radio 4 long wave) to catch the muse. I was called an anorak - and I wore that name as a badge of pride. (Still do, if I'm honest)

Now the sport stands accused of “marrying the 'spirit of the age' ” rather than staying put with her former soulmate.

Good G_D Almighty.

Why am I saying this ?

Because of this...

And to think that I had a go at the BBC for not bidding.

I apologise unreservedly if this story is even half-true...

...for the Corporation would have been entirely correct not to contribute a penny of the TV licence fee money towards this set-up.

I am angry at myself for half-believing the hype. But even at its worst, the Beeb does have some standards left. They did very well to distance themselves from this ‘situation’ that English cricket finds itself in right now.

{note to reader: it's like watching a once-attractive - if formerly rather prim - married woman making a total fool of herself over not ONE, but TWO unsuitable men whilst her erstwhile (and rather boring) husband shakes his head and waits patiently for his wife, this 'stupid woman' (quote unquote) to come to her senses and return home to the children before they all end up playing football}

For if the Antiguan crusade succeeds, all well and good for the players and 'West Indian' (should really read Caribbean) cricket.

But if the November night tryst at twenty hours for $20 million falls flat, cricket in England - and maybe in the ‘WIndies’ too - may well find itself a ‘widow’ in the digital age - and ClearBlue might eventually tire of this bruised, haughty little ‘game’ as its summer companion... 

...polo anyone?

©PoorCricketFan: 02September2008

R•I•P Terrestrial Coverage of Cricket in the United Kingdom.

Much loved (even when interrupted for the 3:30 at Catterick) and missed

(NB - I am NOT referring to the players - I am glad that they can earn decent money - but to the higher-level administrators who have put the game on a platter and served it up to Mammon - big time. These guys have stitched up the game - and also themselves. This will not endear the sport to those children who no longer play. What bargaining power do the E-Z Beez have now? Do they have a ‘plan B’?)

(NBB - title is a misquote from the late (and missed) Archbishop of Cantebury, Dr Runcie - who in turn took it from the Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, W.R. Inge - here is a best copy taken from “Between Two Worlds” by Dr John Stott. This quote is fashionable again, clichéd, but still true - and not just for ecclesiastical matters...)

(NBB - I'm not turning into a Torygraph reader, am I? Please say no...)