The way that the game is now being played largely negates the need for the county championship to be played over four days. My preference would be to see a return to one division, everyone playing everyone and matches played over three days, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. People could then realistically watch a full game of cricket by taking one day off work. That would be 51 days of first class cricket per summer, a reduction of five days on the current situation. Over the course of two years you would host every side in the country, fixtures reversing each season.
There are 27 weekends between the end of March and the end of September. That would leave ten more to play other competitions, a T20 on a Friday evening and Sunday afternoon, a fifty-over competition in the gaps or in midweek in high summer.
In the long-form I would limit the first innings to a hundred overs per side (that being the overs required per day) but if the side batting first was bowled out inside that time, the one batting second could bat to a maximum of 200 first innings overs across the two sides.
Bonus points would be awarded for 200, 250, 300, 350 and 400 runs - a maximum of five
And for 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 wickets - a maximum of five.
There would be fifteen points for a win and NO points for a draw.
Sides would have every incentive to go for a win and be creative with declarations to facilitate this. They would also be more willing to chase a target, rather than taking a 'second prize' of decent draw points. If it is a draw, so be it, but you only get the points that your batting and bowling earned you.
I have lost count over the years of the number of people who are puzzled by cricket and cannot understand how a game can be a draw after playing for three, four or five days. I would like to think this would encourage greater positivity.
My preference would be three days, but if it was decided to stick with four and two divisions, the same principle would apply. After two days the game has moved on and the last two innings would be played on a worn pitch, with more variable bounce and ideally spin. It would make for a greater level of entertainment than is currently on offer, with too many high scoring draws.
There you have it, always happy to hear your thoughts!
I like it and you've done so quickly, unlike the suits who take forever to come up with any new ideas. I actually throught Steve I wouldn't hear from you for a week. Bravo I say.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr.
The benefit of semi retirement and an enforced quiet morning because of the weather!
DeleteOne league of seventeen county sides is, well, just so 70’s.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, cricket is accelerating in the other direction and with a real feeling of inevitability we’ll soon have, just like in football, a small ‘Premier League’ of ‘elite’ teams with the financial rules designed to maintain it
You could argue we are already there
You're right, it won't happen, because the game is all too rapidly accelerating towards one I want no part of, Silenius.
DeleteI will support Derbyshire at whatever level they play, but find no attraction or interest in franchise sides. If that is what the game becomes, I will stop watching.
The elite will have their A and B teams to keep it competitive.
DeleteDon’t fret. There will always be an opportunity for our better players to showcase themselves for the Minor Counties North team in the Gulf Cup
I have already had my say, so I'm hoping a few more come on and give their opinion.Its only a talking point I appreciate that. Im grateful to Steve for making the effort to come up with what I think is a very sound and well throught out approach certainly better than anything I had roughly suggested.Anyway that's my final word on the subject, because it's fair to say not many people appear to be that interested. This is absolutely fine because this is democracy at work. I do think it's an issue that's going to have to be confronted at some point.
ReplyDeleteSteve jr
It's a working day Steve Jr, give us chance sir!
ReplyDeleteI'd be interested to note the demograph of this site, but I suspect not too many under 30's.
I only mention that because Steve notes he'll stop watching the more cricket drops into the rabbit hole of franchise cricket. That also includes me and quite possibly the majority of us on this blog.
But, as big money floods into the game, and greedy eyes look at the American market, I can't help but feel we are more and more marginalised. A friend of mine with a passing interest in the game came along with me, my son and his friend to watch the Lancs v Derbyshire 20/20 last season, and his words were "they are trying to make the game American'. He wasn't impressed, but he's 57, so doesn't count. The two young 'uns loved it though, and maybe that's what this is about. I don't think for a second those in charge of cricket want to destroy the 'product', but I do think they'll screw every penny they can from the game, however many gimmicks it takes.
Somewhat sadly for 'proper' cricket, it's likely to get pushed more and more to the periphery, whatever we, and a lot of the players (who keep telling us they like the longer format) may think.
Following and trying to convince the brilliance of the longer game to the people out here is like swimming uphill though. Fixtures played in chilly late March, early April - I sometimes need convincing myself!
Point taken Dave, its my sheer enthusiasm and love of cricket running away with me.
ReplyDeleteI don't doubt anyone taking the time to come on here feels the same about this great game.
Steve jr.
I agree that the future of county cricket looks difficult. But people were, believe me, predicting its demise back in the 60s, and now I read respected commentators in The Times talking about the 70s to 90s as a golden age of the county game. I don't know what the future holds, but I do know that it's always best to avoid defeatism, even though any Derbyshire fan can be forgiven for fearing the worst. I'm interested that Peakfan would do away with the two-division split. So would I. It's long been a minority view, but I've always felt that the split would be bad for the county game in the long run, though I understand the counter-arguments, because it instantly creates a second-class group of teams and makes it harder to recruit and retain the best players. The only future for Derbyshire, I think, is trying to become a county that is capable of playing first division cricket. Yo-yoing between the divisions would be better than the misery we've endured for most of the past 25 years. One of the flaws in Mickey Arthur's strategy (though it does have some good elements) is that he's put too much resource into one-day players and still hasn't got the balance right with the four-day squad. But if we had a winning team with a winning mindset in four-day cricket, there would be beneficial knock-on effects in one-day cricket, which is often more of a lottery anyway.
ReplyDeleteHi Martin,
DeleteI'm a bit too young for the 60's, but I am aware of the 'cricket is dying' coverage from the time. The cause being the funeral scoring rates I believe.
Funny how things turn. I'm not a complete luddite, and I get the razzmatazz
from the IPL. But I find myself celebrating dot balls as I once cheered a six!
Point taken Dave my enthusiasm got the better of me. I don't doubt many are interested but probably feel it's something that they personally can't control. I do know that fan power definitely mattered a couple of years ago when Andrew Strauss recommended a deduction to 10 first class matches. This was utterly ridiculous let's all go and play tiddlywinks instead. It reminds me of a July day that year when I spotted Ryan Ducket on one of his regular walks round the ground. He was some 150 yards away from me, so I went sprinting after him shouting Ryan Ryan I want a word with you, without realising in a slightly aggressive manner which I absolutely didn't mean as I have huge respect for Ryan who I think is magnificent at his job. Anyway out of breath I caught up with him and said bluntly again not meaning to be, Ryan I said if this vote goes through I'm finished that's me done. To which Ryan said don't worry it won't. True to his word it didn't.
ReplyDeleteI've since had a good laugh with Ryan about that day, whenever he spies me now he starts to run, he then shouts your not coming for me again are you. Looking back the whole thing was very amusing.
Ryan swears it was to him as well. I can't quite make my mind up whether he's telling me the truth.
Steve jr.
Im wishing David Lloyd all the very best, as I have no shame in admitting I've had bipolar most of my life. It has impacted beyond what most non suffers could ever comprehend and still does as their is no cure only medication. Imagine my shock the other day when I came across an article stating the average age of death for people with bipolar disorder is 67 when I'm 64 in September this year ! Bloody charming I throught thanks very much for the information. Their are complex and many reasons for this figure. Suicide is one major reason that effects this average. Being as I currently have absolutely no intention of such a tragic end I've decided to take the attitude of SOD IT to this average age death figure.Althrough between about 2002 and 2007 I had a particularly torrid time with this issue fortunately I found a way through. This as much as anything was down to luck and had nothing to do with me being some super strength hero.
ReplyDeleteI'm not I must stress looking for sympathy having survived 40 years I don't need it. What I do think is just like David's mental health condition or mental health problem it shouldn't be hushed up.Hence why I'm writing this it's not for my benefit and people will have to trust me on this it's because hopefully it might help other Derbyshire supporters who have just found out what I did the other day and who also suffer from what is a Brain illness. I have long since realised watching Derbyshire may not be the brightest or most beneficial idea I've ever had as I strive to race past that much appreciated magic number of 67. If that old grump G Boycott can average 56 in fist class cricket then I can average 96 in the innings life. And I've decided I'm not going anywhere untill Derbyshire win the the Indian Premier League. Trust me they will. Writing this has probably been easier because no one knows me or what I look like. Despite the constant we know more about mental health splattered all over the press and some people thinking they know, they don't what the truth really is they've heard of some mental health conditions, not they actually understand and why should they.Theirs a massive difference between having heard of something as opposed to actually understanding it. It's this part of political rhetoric that really does annoys me. To me it's not a party political issue it's all parties. Anyway weather permitting its onwards and upwards and a Friday Saturday Sunday Monday SMASHING of some unheard place called Northampton. Life is full of googly deliveries all you have to do is to pick them.If people with bipolar can find a way of hanging in their then a Century is possible no what the averages say. May I wish a long and happy life to all Peak bloggers.
Steve jr