Cricket; no longer the spice of life
In my younger years, I was prophetically – and accurately - told I would like three things in life; cricket, curries and beer.
In short, it proved true. Though battling baltis and hangovers is now more my staple than facing the short ball.
The assumption that fewer kids are interested in watching a bat v ball contest forms part of my (wider than I’d realised) disillusionment with the game but could it be considered cricket’s own fault?
Rewind to 1998 and the fifth and final day of the South Africa test at Headingley and you’ll understand that my first experience of cricket, aged eight, was a perfect one.
A dramatic series win proved seminal for English cricket. And though I had no real appreciation of what Darren Gough was doing, both technically and contextually, in skittling the Proteas, I just wanted to be like him so would re-enact his nuances as I would, say, Alan Shearer.
And, shortly after receiving a Nasser Hussain playing card for the 1999 World Cup from school, I returned the favour by skipping a day and perching myself in the back of the old rugby stand with a butty to watch Yorkshire take on Northamptonshire in a one day game.
I studied what was going on, asked questions and developed an appreciation of what was happening to appreciate the bursts of action allied to the lulls in the match.
Therefore, I don’t buy in to the sentiment that kids are any more or less interested in cricket than they used to be. Attention spans haven’t shortened in the space of two decades (from what I can remember); there simply is more competition for their interest.
In this regard, cricket must accept some culpability in increasing the number of limited overs games. There was even the creation of another ‘strain’ of cricket in the form of T20, which is almost another sport entirely!
I didn’t garner an interest in cricket because it was elaborately marketed on social media either. I went because it was accessible and I was fortunate enough to be taken, but I appreciated that. Those far-reaching experiences of cricket remain the most vivid, so please don’t dilute today's serving.
In short, it proved true. Though battling baltis and hangovers is now more my staple than facing the short ball.
The assumption that fewer kids are interested in watching a bat v ball contest forms part of my (wider than I’d realised) disillusionment with the game but could it be considered cricket’s own fault?
Rewind to 1998 and the fifth and final day of the South Africa test at Headingley and you’ll understand that my first experience of cricket, aged eight, was a perfect one.
A dramatic series win proved seminal for English cricket. And though I had no real appreciation of what Darren Gough was doing, both technically and contextually, in skittling the Proteas, I just wanted to be like him so would re-enact his nuances as I would, say, Alan Shearer.
And, shortly after receiving a Nasser Hussain playing card for the 1999 World Cup from school, I returned the favour by skipping a day and perching myself in the back of the old rugby stand with a butty to watch Yorkshire take on Northamptonshire in a one day game.
I studied what was going on, asked questions and developed an appreciation of what was happening to appreciate the bursts of action allied to the lulls in the match.
Therefore, I don’t buy in to the sentiment that kids are any more or less interested in cricket than they used to be. Attention spans haven’t shortened in the space of two decades (from what I can remember); there simply is more competition for their interest.
In this regard, cricket must accept some culpability in increasing the number of limited overs games. There was even the creation of another ‘strain’ of cricket in the form of T20, which is almost another sport entirely!
I didn’t garner an interest in cricket because it was elaborately marketed on social media either. I went because it was accessible and I was fortunate enough to be taken, but I appreciated that. Those far-reaching experiences of cricket remain the most vivid, so please don’t dilute today's serving.
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