No9, April 21 - The Grumbler's County Cricket Newsletter
All the Week 3 previews | Surrey fans can watch their game at Lord's... on big screens at The Oval | Do players trust data? | Why the County Championship is Shakespeare and the IPL is a soap opera
Hi again, the last round of Championship games were magnificent yet saw little media coverage. The last few days in football were reprehensible yet you could not get away from the news. Such is life. Anyway, let’s forget the greed and just enjoy our national sport.
Here are the previews for Week 3 of the season. They are taken from various sources so click the links on each team.
Worcestershire v Nottinghamshire
Week 2 - Team of the Week (Deep Extra Cover)
Signings: Amir (Kent), Phillips (Gloucestershire, Harris (Glamorgan)
From one season to another: Australians who have county cricket calling (Cricinfo)
Here’s list of Aussies with international ambitions in county cricket this season. For me, the most interesting one is Josh Inglis.
The Literature of the County Game (CricketWeb)
Anything that references Summers Crown and County Cricket Matters so heavily, clearly knows the heart of the game.
Internet star completes 'ridiculous challenge' for Mind (Brighton Argus)
These guys have a YouTube following of 275,000. Theirs is the audience county cricket needs to reach and, in fairness, one that the tournament-that-shall-not-be-named is designed to find. If I was in charge of content, I’d create a way to bring them into Championship cricket. Filming skits on the pitch at games, providing an alternative, more youthful commentary option. Let them have some fun with the game.
This is crazy but it is something we have been getting used to. This week many fans pointed to the snooker indoors at the Crucible being allowed spectators but not county games outside where there is much more space. Mental health has been an issue in the pandemic. Certainly, nothing in this world would have improved my mood than being at Chelmsford on Sunday when Simon Harmer was running through Durham.
Ollie Robinson's message to England: I'm ready for my Test chance (Brighton and Hove Independent)
Is he the next cab off the rank? Certainly the noise is starting to rise.
Josh de Caires: Michael Atherton's son on following in his father's footsteps (BBC)
So Mike Atherton says he's barely seen his son bat and his son says "I took my mum's name at birth," he says. "I have no clue why and I have never asked my parents."
They might be related but I’m not really sure they have ever met.
Football fan who sold celebrity autographs on eBay aged 11 is now millionaire (Mirror)
A lesson in the importance of accessibility to players. Everything started with a nine-year-old getting autographs at Worcestershire.
Do players trust data insights? Not as much as analysts and coaches might want (Cricinfo)
Cricket strikes me as a sport that could be revolutionised by ‘Moneyball’ given the amount of individual actions, match-ups, different phases and on-field decision-making. But it appears slow on the uptake. Recently, one county analyst said the progress was only 20 per cent of what it could be. Then there is this piece.
Of course it is. The same person can enjoy a soap opera and Shakespeare, they are appreciated for very different reasons.
Domestic coverage confirmed (Cricket Writers)
Good news from the Cricket Writers, who pushed hard for this.
And here’s a lovely story to round off…
How Vanuatu is using traditional island cricket to change and save women's lives (BBC Sport)
Tweet of the week
Podcasts I like
This is worth repeating. Talksport2 are running the Cricket Collective which is an hour of Neil Manthorp and Steve Harmison reflecting on the week in the county game. Long interviews too. There are plenty of fan podcasts starting up but few produced by the mainstream media. Worth supporting.
Links I like…
Cricket Supporters Association - Join here, it’s free. Also, watch out for their survey
County Cricket Matters - Buy the magazine direct or on Kindle to make Jeff Bezos even richer
Jobs in Cricket - Non-executive director of Wiltshire or, my dream job, CEO of Essex CCC.
Finally…
Yes, I am still plugging my book on county cricket and midlife.
Buy through Amazon or through me for an autographed copy
Finally, finally, let’s end on a high…
In 1990, the Roses game was so important Granada produced daily highlights. They were introduced by Clive Tyldesley.