No 18, June 23 - The Grumbler's CountyCricket Newsletter
The racism issue | Leics crunching numbers | Spinner lost 3 stone running in lockdown | The end of cricket programmes | Starting a village team in a pandemic | All the Blast previews | T20 catching
It is incredible to think that the Blast has already reached its halfway point. So far, lots of games have been squeezed into a small space with precious few of them given the showcase of live television. We all know why, don’t we?
A tweet from Nottinghamshire’s media team this week (below) showed us that, despite it all, the short-form game is still being watched, especially by younger fans. It is the hope I am clinging to right now.
Anyway, here’s some more stories to cheer you up.
All about the Blast
Previews for upcoming Blast games (The Cricketer)
County cricket: T20 Blast group stage is proving enjoyably competitive (The Guardian)
Will Beer "chuffed" to reach 100 T20 wickets for Sussex Sharks (The Cricketer)
Beer always goes well on T20 nights... I'll get my coat
News, views and interviews
Leicestershire turn to data-driven recruitment in bid to narrow the gap (Cricinfo)
Leicestershire’s move towards Moneyball is worth watching. They have the CEO, data analyst and head coach to achieve success with it. Paul Nixon says their aim is to "create the hardest-working, most-caring environment in cricket". Josh Inglis and Rishi Patel were too of the most eye-catching acquisitions during the winter.
Of course, Leicestershire will not move the needle in a year. Their Championship and Blast form has not been special so far this season. But they start every campaign with one of the lowest (if not THE lowest) squad salaries in the county game. You can bet on them to improve markedly.
New Zealand's cricketers show us what matters (The Cricketer)
‘Kiwiland’ may be the best country in the world right now - best leader, best pandemic response, nicest people and the best cricket team.
New contracts: Jennings (Lancs) Moores (Notts). Injuries: Abell (Somerset), Stone (Warks)
ECB’s failures on Caribbean cricket in England are worse than Robinson’s tweets (The Guardian)
A short and damning piece on race and cricket in the UK. It is a ‘slam dunk’ argument. Race could have united the Commonwealth countries but, instead, it has divided them.
Two things stand out in this piece. Firstly, "the county cricket academy system was developed by middle-class whites for middle-class whites". Ebony Rainford-Brent has said as much in the past. Unfortunately the euphemism "middle class" is employed here. Substitute “public school” and you are about right. Secondly, yet again former Surrey CEO Richard Gould receives conspicuous credit while Tom Harrison receives conspicuous criticism. A few years ago, these two were both going for the ECB's top job but the latter received the nod. Make no mistake, this decision and its ramifications are all down to the ‘suits’ at the ECB.
'Being unpredictable is a big thing in T20' - Jake Lintott's unorthodox path to success (Cricinfo)
A little insight into what some county cricketers did during lockdown. Jake Lintott started running and lost three stone. Looks like that fitness, and the Zoom sessions with bowling coach Graeme Welch, is helping his form now.
Arthur encourages Sri Lankans to take up County Cricket (Island.LK)
The sad demise of the cricket programme, a passport to a simpler time (The Cricketer)
The clock is ticking on cricket programmes I am afraid. I used to write for the Essex version back in the day but I can't remember the last time I bought one, even for a Test. These days, the mementos of my spectating are pictures and videos on my phone. That device also supplies live scorecards and up-to-the-minute content, not puff pieces on players amid a cluster of adverts. While there is nostalgia about these publications, I never thought they would survive long into the digital age.
The never-ending challenge of playing cricket in Madrid (El Pais)
My piece on the pride and pitfalls of starting a village cricket team in ‘The Shire’ during the pandemic.
“Sorry, Uncle Bilbo,” Frodo might have replied. “Fighting an army of orcs against impossible odds at Helm’s Deep is one thing but organising the tea rota, ringing round for fixtures and dealing with last-minute drop-outs is all too much for a lowly Hobbit.”
Tweet of the Week 1
Videos I like…
T20 cricket has altered the art of fielding more than any other aspect of the game. Here’s a highlight reel of catches from the Blast two years ago. I even think we have moved on from then. Last season’s ‘worldies’ somehow always seem to be pretty standard in the following campaign.
Links I like…
Join the Cricket Supporters Association, it’s free
County Cricket Matters - Buy the magazine direct or on Kindle
Tweet of the Week 2
Finally let’s end on a high…
This is very long but very good. A look back at Lancashire’s 2011 Championship victory with decent interviews and lots of behind-the-scenes shots. The old gold trophy still means a lot at Old Trafford.
Finally, finally…
Yes, I am still plugging my book on county cricket and midlife.
Buy through Amazon or through me for an autographed copy
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