No 32, Sept 30 - The Grumbler's County Cricket Newsletter
Warks win title - reaction | Next season's Championship format | Player moves | Teams of the Year | Why the Blazers and the Suits don't wear well | Rikki Clarke farewell | We go fortnightly till April
This is the last of the weekly newsletters, probably until next season. Publication will move fortnightly throughout the winter, assuming there are enough stories to keep us going. I say probably because, as I indicated from the start, this is a one-year experiment. I’ll look at the numbers on December 31 and see if it is worth carrying on.
This newsletter is a labour of love but it is definitely a labour. Your comments, likes and shares have kept it going so far. I appreciate them all.
Anyway, here’s to another fine county cricket season in the record books. Despite everything it has been thoroughly enjoyable.
So, in the words of the Queen Mother signing off her correspondence, ‘tinkety tonk old fruit and down with The Hundred’.
Well nearly, anyway.
See you in a fortnight.
Warwickshire win the County Championship
Warwickshire seal Championship glory as Somerset are overwhelmed (Cricinfo)
Warwickshire finish as the pride of the County Championship (The Cricketer)
Farbrace labels title triumph “unbelievable achievement” (Warwickshire CCC)
County cricket: Warwickshire’s title was a triumph of teamwork (Guardian)
End-of-Season Award winners
Root, Jones, Brook and Capsey lead PCA award winners (Cricketer)
Club awards: Glamorgan, Derbyshire, Worcestershire
Teams of the Year
Wisden’s under-24 team of the 2021 County Championship (Wisden)
County Championship: 2021 team of the season as chosen by BBC Sport users
Player news
Contracts: Sales (Northamptonshire), Wood, Hughes, McKiernan (Derbyshire), Stanley (Worcestershire), Rashid, Ballance (Yorkshire)
Departures: Thomason (Sussex), Klein (Leicestershire), Harris (Leicestershire)
Arrivals: Harris (Gloucestershire), Dale (Gloucestershire)
Coaches: Moores (Nottinghamshire), Pothas (Middlesex)
Retirement: Chopra (Essex)
News, Views and Interviews
Domestic cricket schedule a muddle unlikely to be fixed by latest review (Times)($)
County Championship set to return to two divisions in 2023 under ECB proposal (Cricinfo)
This is all a bit of a mess. We could have moved back to two divisions next season if the ECB had set the criteria before the second group stage. Could they not have at least confirmed that teams must assume they are playing for starting positions next season? We knew it would be three conferences or two divisions and it was not like teams in group two or three were playing for anything else of note in September.
A couple of other notes:
* The Hundred is "immoveable" and will take the prime spot of the summer. Of course there are television contracts to fulfill but this ‘county cricket review’ is putting the biggest obstacle to the health of county cricket at its heart.
* "It is interesting that the briefing note for this meeting, seen by The Times, concedes that Covid was the reason for the Test being abandoned, even though the ECB was adamant publicly that it was not." Err... so they lied then?
Luke Wells: I was in a dark place but now I don’t overstress (Times) ($)
Canterbury Tales of Woe (Middlesex Till We Die)
I support all cricket bloggers but, from this report, Division Three feels like a long way down.
Questions on the Head of Cricket role (PeakFan)
Some big names are linked: Adams, Bell, Madsen, Grumbler (OK, not that last one). The first three are discussed by Peak Fan as possible appointments at Derbyshire look to rebuild.
Glamorgan Cricket: Coach Matthew Maynard gives mixed verdict on season (BBC Sport)
It seems like the ECB are being roundly criticised in all areas of the media right now. Mike Atherton has written a series of pieces on the cancellation of the Pakistan tour and then there is this wide-ranging piece by Barney Ronay. As he writes, the ‘Blazers’ were interested in preserving the past and the ‘Suits’ are myopic modern marketers whose sole concern is the pursuit of money, no matter the damage to the game. As a self confessed ‘Anorak’, it is absolutely clear that during the last 25 years under the ECB’s watch cricket has lost a lot of ground. The yardstick cannot be the beast that is Premier League football but look at the crowds and coverage for rugby union. A succession of Suits have failed but who can hold them to account?
Steve Elworthy appointed new Chief Executive of Surrey County Cricket Club (ANINews)
Rikki Clarke, a brilliant county cricketer (The Cricketer)
An end-of-season affair like no other, but one final, farcical memory for Rikki Clarke (Cricketer)
For a Tottenham fan, Rikki Clarke strikes me as a decent chap. This homage has a nice headline. For some, who have clearly forgotten the manners and good chunks of their early years in the game, "county cricketer" is a pejorative term. This is simply wrong.
Still, the report suggests, his final game was pretty stupid.
Gale Sets Out Action Plan to get Olivier Firing on All Cylcinders (Yorkshire CCC)
If you have no talent but you are desperate for attention, it seems you have to do really stupid things these days.
We interrupt this newsletter for a game of county cricket
Sky Sports were switching between a couple of grounds at the end of the Sunday League in 2001. Kent, complete with Andrew Symonds, took the spoils.
Podcasts I Like
For me, the Allen Stanford fiasco does not figure that highly in cricket folklore if you consider the gargantuan amount of wool he pulled over everyone’s eyes. Here’s a podcast series examining the incredible tale. Click here or go to BBC Sounds
Tweet of the Week 1
The moment the title was won.
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
Incredible. Click on the picture to open it up.
Finally…
Indulge me but I want to throw a little more love on one of my favorite county cricketers. The story of his arrival at Essex and what has happened since should inspire every young wannabe.
Finally, finally…
Yes, I am still plugging my book on county cricket and midlife.
Buy through Amazon or through me for an autographed copy
🏴☠️ Buy from Independent bookshop | 🇺🇸 Buy in USA | 🇦🇺 Buy in Australia
