Grockle's Wisden Debut

By Grockle
May 19 2002

This regional idea from some 'Richard' in the establishment raised the hackles in the provinces. We thought we'd write and put them in the picture and they published! The only problem is that they only published one paragraph so we thought we'd publish the rest!

FACULTY LECTURE - THE WISDEN ADDRESS

"REGIONALISING COUNTY CRICKET"

It seems that the comments of the staff at Grockles.com cannot fail to be noticed by the powers that be. Dr Grockle himself put pen to paper a couple of weeks ago to write to the powers that be concerning the wonderful idea of city teams.  Our words were listened to by Wisden Cricket Monthly, but not all of them were published so we thought we'd do that for those who give a flying.......

"I am a cricket fan.  Note I do not specify which type of cricket I am a fan of, to me all formats have something to offer the supporter.  The short games are exciting and colourful and ‘tasty’ for anything from a couple of hours to a day.  There’s nothing wrong with ‘fast food’ cricket.  The longer game is to be appreciated in a different way.  You don’t have to see all of it, you can savour small morsels (a duel between a particular batsman and bowler or a great innings), if you have the palate for it and that takes time to cultivate.  I work full-time and it does not stop me enjoying a day or evening of county cricket.

Unfortunately I am a fan of Somerset and therefore I am a ‘wrecker’ of the glorious game because I enjoy watching four day matches in a ground that cannot host one day internationals and is beyond the sound of the clapping of the one man and his dog watching the game at Lords.

I should accept my fate it seems and move to Bristol in order to enjoy my summer sport because that is good for the game of cricket.  There I will be joined by hordes of new young supporters who never realized what they were missing until it was placed directly in front of them and the game will go from strength to strength in its new leaner fitter and far more commercial super stadia.  Premiership cricket, don’t ya just love it?

And what will be the main aspects of this new game?  Professional players who work at their fitness and technique?  Forward looking coaches and trainers who work to keep them at the peak of both?  A dynamic youth policy that attracts talent from the surrounding area and nurtures it into the next generation of hungry, first team athletes?  A good pitch that allows the playing of the game in its true form?  An organization with a rising membership, especially among the young? Hang on a minute…I seem to have all that at the moment in Taunton.  Am I missing something that the media and the moguls of the ECB are seeing?

Why don’t the powers that be look at the areas of weakness and leave the strong to do the job they’ve been asked to?  If merger is the future then look outside of the London smog by all means but don’t destroy places where developments are bearing fruit. 

We are always told that we have to look at the big picture.  Unfortunately the provincial perception of the big picture is that it does not include the taking of harsh decisions by Test ground counties or by those who are seen as “essential”.  The big picture seems to us to leave out the Roses and the London ‘counties’.  I think we’re getting it right in our county but all we seem to be doing is fattening up the sacrifice for those who know better.  In a year when we have a realistic chance at our first ever Championship (even without our centrally contracted players) we are reading that cricket is weak and it’s our fault because of our geographical location.

County cricket can be improved, cricket in general can be made more attractive. However, it might make sense for some of the commentators who are advocating the changes to switch off their internet connections and pop out of their city offices for a couple of days.  Look seriously at what is being done by counties who have listened in the past before you make decisions that will centralise and marginalise the game I love into an urban straitjacket that it won’t be able to get out of.  Regionalise cricket in the South West based on a city side in Bristol and you will turn the peninsula into a professional cricket wasteland."