Sticky Wicket?

Just returned home having spent an evening with Geoff Boycott and Jonathan Agnew, not just me of course, there were another couple of hundred at the theatre as well witnessing the last of their current tour. It was a very good turn out, more than I had expected considering how tight finances are and it being a late January Saturday night, so you might think that Our national summer sport is in rude health despite the recent debacle down under. We could think that, but, I fear we would be wrong and here's why. Yes it was a very good turn out, there was a good mixture of men and women but the average age of the audience was, I guess, around the late 50s. I spotted only 2 children in the audience and both those observations concerned me. Let's take the age concern first. It was obvious that Sir Geoff is a cricketing hero to many and to have the opportunity to see him and listen first hand to his forthright opinions was too good to turn down, likewise with Jonathan who has a huge social media following and is highly respected main man on the immensely popular Test Match Special. Immensely popular,it seems to a certain age bracket, which brings me to the lack of youth sharing our evening. If,as parents, you have a hero or a passion, you usually try to share it with your offspring. Now, they may not like it, they may not understand it, but, they may.That is my point. What an opportunity it would have been for a cricket loving parent if they could afford it,to say to little Johnny or Jenny I am going to take you to a theatre tonight and you are going to see one of the best cricketers that has ever lived. A little bit of inspiration can go a long way, a very long way. It's not often these days that children can relate in person to icons past or present as everything is so detached and done through various kinds of media, which is why I feel tonight and maybe other nights of their tour have been a missed opportunity, and Cricket, with its place in people's priorities sadly quite low, cannot afford to miss such chances.

Happy New Year! There are a number of things that have happened over the fun filled festivities that could warrant a mr average guy rant...however I made a conscious decision not to allow my new blog to become a kind of anti everything spleen venting ritual. That is why I haven't chosen energy companies and how good they are at buck passing in a power cut, I won't be talking about the incompetence and ineptitude of our governments flood planning, I won't even mention the sudden end to Christmas as decorations and lights were extinguished at midnight on Christmas Day only to reappear at midnight next Christmas Eve...instead I will give my worthless thoughts on a subject that is made for opinion...football. The reason is a statement by a Premier League manager, Paul Lambert of Aston Villa, who is quoted as saying that most top clubs would rather not take part in the FA cup as it is a distraction from the league. Now, for those of you who are not familiar with the FA cup it is the Football Association Cup and is the oldest club competition in the world...it used to be the most coveted club trophy in the world, notice the word used in there, because, sadly, the FA cup was never the richest trophy in the world as far as prize money was concerned. The problem for the famous old competition now is that money rules. Mr Lambert more than likely only has the best interests of his club at heart in making his statement, his thinking is clear, I keep a fit squad and stay in the Premier League and the coffers will be full, risk that by trying to,win a cup, an old one at that, doesn't make sense. However he is missing the point by about the same distance his strikers miss the goal. Like my previous blog regarding Christmas this is the gradual undermining of a tradition and though that may sound twee let me try and tell you why I think it's bunkem and slightly misleading. Football is now ruled by money, it has encouraged, certainly in England, a culture of mediocrity at all costs...clubs celebrate finishing 17th...as this means they have another season of money! Arsenal's lap of honour and general elation at finishing fourth last season said it all...what they were celebrating was that they had qualified for the Champions League...well actually no...they had the guarantee of more money. Instead of standing up for their own competition, the FA have done the equivalent of their abbreviation. In fact they have aided and abetted the demise of the competition that bears their name. It started in 1999 when they allowed Manchester United not to take part and play in a tournament in Brazil, the reason? " it will help us in our World Cup bid" no...it was a rich tournament. Since then they have changed the date, time and coverage to pamper to medias millions. Would it not have been better for the FA to say to UEFA, "whoever wins the most famous trophy in world football can play in your second rate champions league"? Or something like that. This would have encouraged all clubs to try and win the competition, ok I hear you scream! It would have a financial means to an end, but it would maintain the competition as a priority rather than a cup of inconvenience.