Simon H is the man I look to for updates on the governance of the game. Here is his take on the events of this week….as always, many thanks to Simon for his time and effort in putting this together…. He e-mailed me this last night and there’s an update at the bottom to reflect further events.
SUITS, NOT BOOTS
It’s been a stellar few days for those of us (and we number literally in our half dozens) who find cricket governance fascinating. The administrator-media complex that runs the game have produced three stories at more or less the same time, so here’s some attempt to sort out what’s been going on:
- The ICC.
As LCL has already written, there has been an ICC board meeting in Dubai. I’m very much a newcomer to trying to understand the ICC and don’t claim any great expertise here. Firstly, those who remember the world pre-1990 may remember something called Kremlinology. This was how outside observers tried to understand the goings-on in the USSR without virtually any official sources – no minutes, no press releases, no interviews, no diaries, no leaks, no non-attributable briefings, no former members pontificating in TV studios. The ICC offices in Dubai feel very much like the Kremlin, except they’re uglier and less drafty.
So, from a handful of statements that have appeared, and from the sterling work of the handful of journalists who are interested, what can we glean? This was an ICC board meeting, featuring the heads of domestic boards but not, as far as I can gather, Shashank Manohar. The formal ICC meeting is next month (I thought it was going to be in Singapore but it now seems to be in Cape Town). ICC board meetings don’t appear to generate any minutes (not that they are ever anything less than next-to-useless) and I don’t think they have any formal power. However, informally, they seem to matter a great deal in preparing issues for the ICC meeting proper.
The big story emerged, of course, on the first day in the lack of a majority for the draft two-division plan for Test cricket. The plan needs seven FMs in support and only had six. India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe were the four against. This was apparently ‘understood’ without a formal vote and was used to prevent the plan even being discussed. Therefore, a measure backed by 60% of the FMs, presumably most of the associates if anyone bothered to ask them and 72% of players according to a FICA survey (although that may be deserving of some scepticism) has been quashed. The most that seems possible is a play-off between the top two in the rankings (hands up who’d like that to Pakistan – and India). Money talks and democracy walks in cricket governance.
That headline story may mask that other measures won approval at the board meeting. ODI and T20 leagues were supported. This will necessitate ODI series being standardised at three matches of each – and every team will have to play the other top thirteen at least once in a three year cycle (hmm, I’ll believe that when it happens). The leagues will be used for qualification to ICC tournaments. It was also agreed members retain control of Test fixtures and the ICC continues to have no power here. Most importantly, there appears to be some move towards revenue-sharing with England, Australia and South Africa keen to pool their TV revenues and other boards welcome to join. This has the potential to be massively important and needs more discussion among cricket-followers. Cricinfo report that changes in the Indian TV market are the driving force behind this and a sharp decline in those revenues is expected. There has been an assumption that sharing means it would be equal – but that remains an assumption.
The background to much of this appears to be a rapidly souring relationship between Manohar and the BCCI. The head of the BCCI has been visiting Srini and playing the card straight from the Srini handbook – threatening boycotts of ICC events, starting with the 2019 CT. Resentment at funding for the CT compared to the T20 WC has been cited – Manohar disputes their figures and the chances of any of us knowing who’s right are as great as a recall for Nick Compton. The internal politics of Indian cricket are something we’d all better learn to start taking an interest in:
And although it’s hardly been mentioned, all this would seem to leave Manohar’s plan of handing back 6% of India’s 22% ICC revenue-share as dead in the water….. which I rather suspect was, ultimately, the point.
- City-franchises
Not to be outdone in farcical cricket governance, the ECB have been building up to their very own D-Day. The interminable debate about city-franchises has led many to tune out of the issue – but the crunch meeting is soon upon us as September 14th looms. The proposal needs a two-thirds majority and Nick Hoult, who’s reporting on this has been in a league of its own, reports the ECB are close to achieving the numbers they need.
This isn’t the place to debate again the merits of city-franchises. Whatever one thinks of the idea, the methods of the ECB are the issue here. They’ve presented county chairmen with five options – but to discover these “options”, the chairmen have had to sign ten year gagging clauses. We may discover what these options are later next week once this meeting is done. The ECB’s conception of options might turn out to look rather like that expressed here (starting at 14:55):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jllMX_bQx7U
Then there is the role of our media chums. Curiously, a number of writers who have taken a not exactly critical line of the ECB in recent years have suddenly discovered a rampant enthusiasm for city-franchises. One got an extended holiday with his mate out of it. Others have been convinced more easily. They get to know confidential ECB survey evidence that has not been published. They don’t know how that survey was conducted, and whether the results are worth the paper they’re written on, but they’ll repeat them anyway:
https://twitter.com/theanalyst/status/773787861342650368
https://twitter.com/theanalyst/status/773834112750723072
They’ll use their Twitter accounts and magazines they’ve somehow come to edit as platforms for not debating an issue but prosleytizsng a cause. Maybe they are genuinely convinced? Maybe after the nonsense of the last two years, they don’t deserve any benefit of the doubt……
Finally, Nick Hoult captures in a nutshell what lies behind all this:
https://twitter.com/NHoultCricket/status/773990826120736769
- Eoin Morgan
While ECB chairmen are gagged for ten years, certain journalists discover that Eoin Morgan has told Strauss he isn’t going to Bangladesh:
https://twitter.com/JohnSunCricket/status/773991330221522944
Certain other journalists then have pieces out that proclaim that signifies the end of Morgan’s England career forever:
https://twitter.com/Anarey_NLP/status/773974634609905664
There will be widespread rejoicing among certain BTL communities where who can hate Morgan the most seems their main amusement.
It turns out Morgan has some good reasons, based on past experiences in Bangladesh. Lawrence Booth has produced the best account of these:
Some have already decided it’s because Morgan isn’t English enough. That’s all they needed to know, they’ve known it in their bones all along when he wouldn’t sing the national anthem or miss the IPL to watch it rain in Ireland.
Some are reading Strauss’s comments about not going giving opportunities to others as trying to pressurise Morgan and as a veiled threat. I’m not exactly Strauss’s greatest fan, but I think these were more anodyne statements of the patently obvious. The captaincy will now presumably be between Root and Buttler. We’ve seen there are some doubts about the former as captain before and there has been some talk of resting him in the Bangladesh ODIs. Some may also suspect he would raise more issues about the Test captaincy. Smart money may be on Buttler.
Will others follow Morgan and opt out? If they do, Morgan is damned for influencing them. If they don’t, Morgan is damned for thinking he’s something special. Maybe KP’s intervention might produce some desire among the ECB to show that he was wrong and they will forgive Morgan. Maybe…
SATURDAY UPDATE FROM SIMON…
I should say this was written late yesterday afternoon and quite a bit happened just afterwards. Newman’s article for one. the discovery of Dobell’s podcast for another:
Reading Sharda Ugra on Cricinfo has also opened up a new interpretation of the two-division plan – that the ECB and CA were trying to drive the less attractive parts of their schedule off the roster just before negotiating new TV rights’ deals. It’s a new argument – but if trying to judge whether they are more motivated by short-term greed or a sudden conversion to the principles of meritocracy, which one – based on their recent track record – seems more likely?
Being Outside Cricket 
I should say this was written late yesterday afternoon and quite a bit happened just afterwards. Newman’s article for one. the discovery of Dobell’s podcast for another:
Reading Sharda Ugra on Cricinfo has also opened up a new interpretation of the two-division plan – that the ECB and CA were trying to drive the less attractive parts of their schedule off the roster just before negotiating new TV rights’ deals. It’s a new argument – but if trying to judge whether they are more motivated by short-term greed or a sudden conversion to the principles of meritocracy, which one – based on their recent track record – seems more likely?
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Sorry I didn’t see it last night, but thought it a useful addition this evening. There are points in there I’ve not covered out, and it’s good that you updated it here. In fact, I’m going to copy this and put it as an update
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No worries. 🙂
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Slightly OT but if you want to see an example of the idea that sport exists for no other reason than to make money it seems you needed to be down at West Ham this afternoon. I should stress that I wasn’t there, and I am not a West Ham fan. But the absurdity of fans fighting each other in a new stadium would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. Apparantly officious stewards with orders to throw out any one who stood up, and Watford fans so close to home fans that it all kicked off. I have heard of one guy who came all the way from Scotland to see his first WH match at the new stadium and was thrown out for mearly saying the stewards were a bit extreme.
It hasn’t been lost on many WH fans that the one person who was allowed to stand was Karen Brady. The new breed of sports facilitators (not owners but money people.) and all this in a tax paid for stadium, that was handed over with a pepper corn rent in a sickening sweetheart deal with the govt, and the major of London. Both political parties come out with no credit for this shambles of a business deal. Particulary those poor council tax payers in London who don’t support WH yet will be paying for this folly for years. And the poor WH fans have to see money taken out of their club to make donations to the Tory party. Welcome to Disneyland Premiership style.
Oh and have you noticed how the obedient football media seem to ignore the trouble at football in and outside the grounds that seems to be on the rise again now it’s a huge money making operation. Don’t want to kill the golden goose.
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Trouble has never gone away. People just aren’t told about it when it comes to the Premier League.
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Here’s a thought….lets just do away with England Cricket, International cricket, in fact, the whole bloody lot of em, then, maybe, we could all walk down the road to our local club, and watch one set of blokes, play another set of blokes at a great game, and not a greedy, avaricious, manipulative “administrator” in sight!
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I bring you Mr Sanctimony….. Oliver Holt
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/article-3783340/England-captain-Eoin-Morgan-quit-does-not-tour-Bangladesh.html
Tickner has already picked up the National Anthem twaddle on Twitter…
I don’t agree with Holt’s “opinion” but this attack, seemingly being focused from the Mail Bunker (Peters has an article that tanks and snipers will be used to protect our team, and the team will be confined to a hotel – that’s security not to make anyone nervous) looks very much like an “agenda” to me.
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Let’s play the Morgan media drinking game
1 Any mention of Ireland, Irish, paddy, non English. DRINK
2 Non singing of the national anthem, (why oh why does this get people so upity?) DRINK
3 He played IPL instead of going to play against his birth nation Ireland. DRINK
4 He’s on the downward path. Never been as good as he was. DRINK
5 Compare him to the media darling Alastair Cook. DRINK
6 Use this to settle old scores but don’t have the integrity to admit it to your readers. DRINK
Holt likes like to point out that Cook will be on the plane. Of course he will be on the f**** plane. He would walk there. But he fails to make the connection that Cook was never, ever going to resign two years ago. It was all bullshit. He is the company man. He will still be captaining England when he is fifty if the ECB let him.
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Hilariously, on this issue the ‘journalists’ find themselves in the position of having to praise Pietersen in order to trash Morgan.
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“This is a guy, let’s not forget, who has already built up a record as England’s first non-playing cricket skipper.”
No, that was Strauss, who declined to tour Bangladesh previously, hence Cook captaining his first series.
“He is supposed to be a leader, for goodness sake. Other players are supposed to be looking at him as an example. The idea, surely, is that a captain represents strength and a touch of indomitability.”
This is brilliant. Indomitability is the key word, but you can’t say it properly unless you are stroking your handlebar mustache while swirling your Gin and Tonic. Bob Hoskins sums up the correct comportement perfectly here: https://youtu.be/6ugonbYYVfs?t=78
I’ll bet Morgan doesn’t even know how to wink.
However, despite the snarky tone, he has a point. If Morgan doesn’t go to Bangladesh, he is, by definition, not the leader of the team. What you think of that, and how you interpret it, and what values you assume of Morgan is another question, but it’s true that he has decided to step down from a leadership role in this instance.
Hopefully ECB will understand the guy has issues with this place, and will let him resume his role later. Pigs also fly.
Wasn’t Pietersen instrumental in leading England back onto a tour when there were some violence problems in India, during his brief stint as captain? All swiftly forgotten. Damn, it’s hard to find the right sort of hero, thank god for Cook.
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Exactly Fred. The big issue for me is the ECB are lying. They said players would be free to choose. But they didn’t tell them if you make the wrong choice it will be held against you. That is not choice. It’s a fake choice.
And remember this is a team whose boss says trust is the only issue.
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Oliver Holt is yet another football journalist who sticks his oar into cricket from time to time. Therefore I give him no great kudos at all. And another chance for me to go at the sanctimony of attacking someone choosing not to sing that long outdated dirge.
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Oliver Holt loves to preach. He’s in his element when he does that. I’ve never been able to stand him. Still don’t.
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The only thing Olie Holt knows anything about is Man united. It’s his one off specialist chosen subject. Like most of the football media they have their noses rammed up utds backside. They are all in morning today after predicting that Man U were the best ever under the special one. (Maybe they will go on to be so, but the pre game hype was idiotic.)
I heard some moron on 5 live Friday claiming that it would be the biggest Manchester derby ever. How much are the premiership paying them to say this hyperinflation shite?
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Ridiculous when there was a virtual title decider between those two teams four or five years ago.
Sky have so much to answer for. Treat their viewers like morons. Should rename Sky Sports News – Maybe Sky Sports Propaganda.
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Far be from me to defend Sky but the hype about the Premiership goes through all the media. The BBC, BT, The Mail. The Telegraph, all the Murdoch rags, The Mirror. The hype is ludicrous.
The media are spinning like tops this morning. Apparently yesterday’s game was the best ever. I think they are just pleased that Utd are not crap like last year. So they should, be they have spent £500 million in 3 years. They should be the best in the world.
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“Like most of the football media they have their noses rammed up utds backside”.
Try reading a bit of Jamie Jackson at the Guardian for a prime example. His latest thread has more posts complaining about his bias deleted by moderators than vintage Selvey.
But then, as we know, agendas only exist BTL….
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Do you mean the very latest one about Bravo, or the previous one where he had 7:4 Utd (including Rooney) in a combined team managed by Jose? Could apply to both.
Jackson is hilarious: he has literally no legs to stand on regarding bias (see his Twitter bio and pic) yet somehow gets away with it. His Euro 2016 highlights were a joke as well.
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I just don’t get the anthem thing. He’s Irish. It isn’t his national anthem, it would be completely inappropriate for him to sing it. And more importantly, England and Ireland have some quite recent and very bloody history about who exactly should be reigning over whom. Remaining politely silent is exactly the right thing for him to do.
And the fact that Strauss has previously declined to tour overseas (and quite a few others before him, without it being shouted about in the media) should be pointed out as often as possible.
The Daily Mail continues to unerringly capture the worst of British society… I suppose that’s an achievement of a kind.
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New Newman:
“England had already decided to turn to the 19-year-old Haseeb Hameed to become Alastair Cook’s ninth opening partner since the retirement of Andrew Strauss left such a big hole to fill”.
That’s the Andrew Strauss who averaged 33 in his last 32 Tests. Strangely, that’s described as “a big hole” and not “a career of two halves”.
“[Hameed] has particularly impressed former England coach Andy Flower, who is becoming an increasing selectorial influence in his role with the Lions”.
“Increasing”? When did it ever go away? The difference is they’ve stopped pretending.
“Gary Ballance looks sure to travel despite an inconclusive series against Pakistan but James Vince will be told to go back to county cricket and work on a temperament that was found wanting at Test level. But England expect him to be back”.
Who used his increasing influence to back Vince? Perhaps that’s why Vince is expected to be back – so that he isn’t proven to have been wrong?
“The dearth of spin options will almost certainly open the door to Liam Dawson”.
Revisit an Ali Martin article at the time of the T20I WC if you need reminding who’s backing him.
The DT are also reporting Dawson will get the third spinner spot.
Flower’s mediocre record in identifying new talent is never, ever mentioned. His talent is for taking new talent others have identified and squeezing more out of it (whether in the process achieving that at such a cost it’s ultimately self-defeating is another question).
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Give the DM credit for one thing – at least they’v got some articles on cricket.
The Guardian seems to be bringing its amount of cricket coverage into line with the popularity of the game in that ECB survey The Analyst has heard about.
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Shame The same Mel Gibson didn’t ask Flower about his role in English cricket selection when he had the chance to interview him. Is Strauss just Flowers patsy?
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Newman wants to live in an eternal 2011 where Flower is in charge off the pitch, Strauss is in charge on it, England are top of the rankings in all three formats (TM) and the talent scores runs and takes wickets while knowing its place and SingTFU.
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Personally, I wish Morgan had made the opposite decision, and even as someone who has no affection or respect for Alastair Cook, I welcome his decision to tour Bangladesh. But here’s the point, if you offer a free choice with a promise of no repercussions, that’s what it should be. [Same with the referendum — I voted Remain, but I respect the decision of those who made the opposite choice.] Morgan’s always been a strong-willed, level-headed guy with quite awesome levels of sang froid. The ECB are on a hiding to nothing if they think he can cowed, whatever shit they drop on his head via their reliable sewer, Mel Gibson.
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Exactly Clive. The ECB should not pretend the players have a choice if they are going to attack them through their piss poor actor chum Mel Gibson if they make the wrong choice.
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Meanwhile the Mail has another article, by Stuart Broad.
He had been “managing” a stress reaction in his left ankle since the SL series. By the time of the fourth Test v Pakistan it was “agony”.
It’s all right though – the top top medical staff have *now* given him seven weeks off.
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Thought you should also know that one of the “Outside Cricket(er)” list has spent time in the press box and thus feels able to pronounce that the cricket media is autonomous of the ECB.
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Nonoxol, have you chanced upon an early candidate for successor to Mike Selvey?
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I’m genuinely intrigued by this. He’s posted this since..
https://twitter.com/TheCricketGeek/status/775020311070777344
Now, I’m not getting on Peter’s case here – there’s a difference of opinion. But I have a little difficulty with the tone deafness of this. I don’t think I’ve said, for example, that I think this is the ECB telling Newman what to write. Of course they haven’t. What is going on, and there’s hints to it in his follow-up piece today is that there are clear indications from those inside the ECB which way the land lies. Note that bit on Flower becoming even more influential as a selector. That stuff just doesn’t get there through guesswork. I’ve not been in a pressbox, but I’ve worked in a press office. I have a little idea what goes on. Newman does not want to be proved wrong.
The only way we’ll know that Morgan is being punished for his refusal to travel is how he is reinstated into the team, if at all. Would it be beyond a couple of the ECB types to say to a compliant press officer “make sure you big up the replacement players good work if you can”? I don’t know that, only the protagonists do.
What we had was a blueprint from the KP saga. It’s not allowed us to trust the ECB, so when Peter says “grow up kids” I think he ought to rethink that. The best guide to future performance is the past. In the past the ECB leaked, people were “very close” to those in the top echelons (some still are) and there is absolutely no guarantee that will not happen again. So better to be on our guard for it with Morgan, rather than be compliant and let it happen without comment.
If that makes me a tin foil hat so-and-so then so be it.
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“So clearly”
“Laughable”
Yes sir, whatever you say, three bags full.
Still one space to be claimed in my top five.
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Still fighting the good fight:
A lot of replies – most are very good. Barney Ronay’s in there with his “football’s to blame” argument again. Why isn’t rugby having these problems – after all, it’s in more direct competition with football than cricket? Couldn’t be that rugby is governed by people committed to growing their game, could it? Who’ve kept some FTA presence and got their sport into the Olympics?
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He’s back again –
The “ECB top brass” – well known for their concern about “animosity and division”.
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That had me roaring out in laughter.
In the words of Andrew Strauss – it is a matter of TRUST.
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Oh, he can say this because…
#7 speaks.
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THE #39 SCHLEPS… Stirring Mal Gimpson and His Anal-myst kissed ECB…
And so from on high, (ECB/SKY), it was decreed
That Eoin was owing, so a kicking he did need
For daring not to wail a dirge hallowed and feared
For running scared like a frail fallow deer
So ECB via MSM clones did moan
Send in Chef with a gun alone…
He may inspire (ish)
but, shock, horror, he’s irish
So never went to the right school
And his common-sense makes us looks like fools
So we can’t fail, if we bring in the idiot from the ‘mail’
To help in the slaughter
In-case our Cookie is busy with a new daughter…
In the meantime, it seems
The Ed of The Cricketer has dreams
(Not the EdSmithWriterPlagiaristObviousAndObscene)
Of climbing the influential ladder
Yet #39 did find, no-one recognised his blather
So, his analysis became ever sadder…
Amid all this in-house fighting
The ICC decided that delighting
The majority of players and teams
Would not happen, it seems
For the BCCI, cemented their position
As cricket’s ruler to general derision
Yet where in all of this moneyed myopia?
Was our leader, our Giles, our true hope for ya?
Then in more homely press
Came the ‘you’ll die’ said ECB unless
You take our bribe, anyway you’ll wither and die
Unless you pay us the fortune we espy
To host international matches and arse kiss
(ECB hoping Tests will still exist)
So come franchise your soul to our sole reason
Making money from those ‘outside’ every season
And still the reporters and correspondents
Those by will and default journo’s so abhorrent
Cannot connect as to why us, the cricket lovers, are so despondent…
And sadly, nothing will change
For there is no will to do so
Short-termism by the self-interested and deranged
Who haven’t a clue about me and you, we know
Yet the ‘death of our gentleman’ ever nears
I, for one, am in tears…
Bastards
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Sorry all, I re-read this and I’d tried to squeeze too much into a ten-minute write rant! lol
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I loved it, BF – I only didn’t ‘like’ it because I can’t seem to get WordPress to accept my email and allow me to ‘like’ things here!
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Oh, SimonH you are the arch-intellect
Who grounds us all in factual reality
This is why we all will ever respect
Your clever endeavours are actual sanity
Against the riles and rants and MSM blather
Less an ECB demeaning meaning of ‘trust’
Ever passionate yet factual, showing and knowing, our lust
..For Cricket…
Thank you! 🙂
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I take it Morgan is the first England captain to “wave the rest of the lads off at the airport” as they go to tour Bangladesh?
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Not in fact. Preceded by one Strauss, A.
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That was supposed to be inferred by my comment!
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Sorry, Hat – I got that, but the internet is a blunt instrument. My reply was meant to be [spells it out sarcastically].
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XD
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You can’t keep a good Essayist down (more’s the pity):
http://thelab.bleacherreport.com/manager-motivations/
It takes a while for some cricket to crop up – but it does, eventually, in the form of a paean to…. oh, you’ll never guess who…. not in a million years. You’ll never guess which Director Comma turns out to be the embodiment of all he admires, the highly debatable embodiment I might add.
His central argument is nonsense. How isn’t Arsene Wenger an ideologue? Because our writer saw a game once where he didn’t make a substitution he supposedly should have? How isn’t Jose Mourinho a cosmopolitan? Because our writer is so busy being clever showing cosmopolitan has an alternative meaning that he misses that Mourinho qualifies by both meanings?
By the way, is it really necessary to bring a discussion of Machiavelli into a piece about football managers? And if it is necessary, wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a bit of a scooby about his ideas? It terms of misunderstanding the central message of a philosophy, for some reason I started thinking of:
A certain Twitter fan of said writer hasn’t noticed this piece yet – but I’d suggest “I heart Carlo” would be a suitable abridgement.
And should anyone wish to start searching for certain sections of this, elsewhere and previous, who knows what they’ll find?
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…and the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes Otto, I looked them up.
Brilliant. It’s time I revisited that film.
I’ve no comment on Smith, not worth commenting on.
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I don’t even bother to read his stuff now. Apart from anything, you don’t know whether he nicked it from someone else. And in any case It’s all the just hippy dippy theory wrapt up in a clever dick voice.
If he was American he would have started his own self help business by now. You know, exotic locations where a bunch of misfits pay astronomical fees to chant meaningless slogans before running bare foot through fire. He could be the English Tony Robbins.
Those that can do, those that can’t teach. And those that can’t do or teach end up writing drivel for a living.
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“We are not even giving away 1%”. Thakur interview:
http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/82586/bcci-key-for-good-of-global-cricket-president-anurag-thakur-warns-icc
If an exchange with questions like “What keeps you going? A job in BCCI is unpaid for” and “You are quite frank and direct when you talk, much unlike most administrators who choose to be politically correct. Is this done intentionally to create an approachable image for BCCI?” can be called an interview.
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For flips sake… Someone needs to show him the ICC mission statement.
http://www.icc-cricket.com/about/44/about-icc
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Uh-oh, two new DM articles – and from the headlines, they aren’t exactly putting the other side of the issue.
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Wish me luck….
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Newman’s is a rehash. Two new points.
1. Hales and Morgan have turned their backs on their country. Well, yes, but according to Newman Morgan did that years ago. Also, fucking grow up.
2. Strauss jumps the considerable chasm from “disappointing” to “fuming” in one article. As always, how does Newman know? Has there been some “good journalism” knocking about? Is there some leakage? Or is Newman making this shit up and interpreting the “disappointment”.
Going to read Nasser next, keeping in mind how much he trusted security officers during the 2003 World Cup.
PS – Ben Stokes. Round of applause.
https://twitter.com/benstokes38/status/775085535937257473
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Well that’s the end of his career then. At least in Mel Gibson world.
Dmitri you are right as usual. How does Mel Gibson know what he is claiming? Perhaps we should ask Peter Miller?
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Sniffing out a line to take here…
Dean Wilson, Mirror…
Another little leap.
Ali Martin in The Guardian stays factual, but raises both Stokes and Stuart Broad’s comments. When Broad comes across all reasonable, you might be inclined to worry!
Mr Newman, Mr Vaughan, Mr Hussain, think otherwise.
And when Ian Botham comes over as another voice of reason. Well, hell must be freezing over…
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Hussain’s is batshit mad in parts. I mean off the charts. For example…
Maybe if it’s that bad, that we need all this, and it is outside “our comfort zone” that it isn’t worth the risk. That you play cricket confined to a hotel and surrounded by military. If that’s not a distraction, what is. This isn’t war. It’s sport. It isn’t life and death, it’s a bloody game.
Nasser does claw it back at the end, and his last few paragraphs are much, much better. It’s certainly not Newman. There’s understanding of the decision (although there’s that IPL dig) and a statement that he is going. One wonders what security Sky will have in place for the broadcasters?
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“out of your comfort zone” = “surrounded by tanks and snipers”?
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“Where were you when we were surrounded by tanks and snipers and couldn’t leave our hotel rooms?’ ”
What a pillock. If it’s that bad they shouldn’t even be in the country.
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Indeed. I can’t help wondering what’s so damn important about this tour at this time that makes it worth risking life and limb
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This is a very interesting question. According to Ramprakash, Strauss told him Bangladesh needed supporting. Given that the last time England played them was June 6th 2010, I think we can safely say that’s not the reason.
The impossibility of leaving Sky screens empty for a while and a warm-up for India would be my guesses.
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Never mind modern ODIs, if you want one-sided blood sport, check out the comprehensive owning of Hughes on Twitter re the T20.
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Add “self-serving” to “divisions” and “animosity”…..
This wasn’t even his dumbest Tweet within a five minute spell last night – there’s one about Morgan that’s even worse.
Hats off not just to those challenging Hughes, but to the many (like the FT and Tregaskis) who shredded Etheridge’s argument about “well, why does he go to India then?”.
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So according to John Duffield in that tweet Middlesex are against the proposals. Interesting as I thought they would be in favour. Perhaps like Surrey they already get good crowds for their 20/20 matches and see no reason to change.
By the way, if Surrey and Middx oppose City cricket, and refuse to allow the use of their ground where are these matches going to be played in London?
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Middlesex have little say if the ECB run one London team out of Lord’s. That’s the MCC’s call.
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So Hughes is an MCC man then?
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Nail on head from Dobell:
http://www.espncricinfo.com/bangladesh-v-england-2016-17/content/story/1056439.html
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“The market for moral indignation seems substantially more lucrative than…”
Air punch at that bit.
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Agreed, that entire paragraph was superb.
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Guardian just happens to have a long interview with Ramprakash who sounds decidedly unsympathetic towards those not touring.
Coincidence? Hmm…..
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BTL has become predictably bilious.
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Gibsongob is lovely, isn’t he?
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Couldn’t see anything. What did I miss?
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It’s a beautiful thread. I’m enjoying the bile and thinly-veiled racism in particular, although the pathetic “my ECB right or wrong” crowd are amusing also.
I’m not sure I have enough time or enough hands to respond to every idiotic post, although I’m trying. Are these people actually allowed to vote and drive cars and stuff like that? The rest of us cam down from the trees thousands of years ago . . .
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Good read on two-divisions:
http://www.firstpost.com/sports/icc-and-the-two-tier-test-system-has-cricket-administration-let-the-game-down-once-again-3000350.html
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Ali Martin tries a tad of common-sense
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2016/sep/12/eoin-morgan-alex-hales-bangladesh-cricket-tour-england
In other news BBC loses rights to ‘Bake Off’, whatever that is…
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Might be more relevant to us than you make out.
Jumped up production company genuinely appears to think the “brand” can be better developed away from the BBC (which interrupts sport programmes to promote Bake Off weeks in advance, ffs).
Even though it was the most watched programme on TV last year.
Even though the last winner appears on other BBC panel shows.
Even though Mary Berry gets voted 80th sexiest woman in the world by a lads mag.
Just wait for them to sell it to Sky….
Full disclosure: I have never watched it, but I am aware of all of the above without needing Google or even friends and family.
That’s FTA TV for you.
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Apparently Sky own 70% of GBBO ( a bit less than they own ECB). So expect a celebrity Cookie v Rooty v’ThatIrishBloke’ ermm, bake off instead of showing the CC decider or that ‘important for Bangladesh’ game….
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It’s speculation on my part but what if Morgan or Hales or both have a developed a real dread of going to potential danger zones? Places that – yes – they’ve previously toured. Y’know, never been a big deal before but now it’s a full-on loose stool scenario for them. I used to love Lanzarote but I’ve developed such a fear of flying I can’t even contemplate going to an airport, never mind flying to the Canaries. Bugger the family holiday… I ain’t getting on no plane. Michael Vaughan can spout off to great effect but he ain’t wearing the captain’s boots anymore. Still, he’ll get distracted by summat else shiny pretty soon and that’ll be that. Summat greatest / worst ever, no doubt. Give ’em the finger Morgan, and flash ’em a big grin whilst doing it.
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Oh, 11th birthday of KP’s Ashes winning hundred and fifty. And the King of Spain’s equally Ashes winning fifty.
I was there and it bloody rocked : )
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Wait just a second. What the happened to my avatar??? It used be the best one! All black and white like an art deco kitchen floor. What the bloody hell is this monstrosity??
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Can I just say that your response to Mike Selvey on Ali Martin’s article was brilliant.
Few of us would have shown such comparative restraint.
And you deserved better than “To reiterate, Reg is regarded as the best in the business.” Because that just illustrates why the rest of us cannot be arsed with him any more.
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incidentally, the Strauss quote Mike has apparently forgotten is as follows:
“I’m certainly hopeful that we can convince the players that it is safe to tour. I’m 100% convinced that is the case. I have the utmost confidence in Reg Dickason and his experience.”
http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/1050517.html (and many other sources via Google)
Perhaps someone can post the quote and test the response:
a) nil
b) sophistry
c) apology
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Simon has.
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I note that Selvey’s post adds, “Reg Dickason is assessing the risk for an international sports team, which will be accorded presidential level security.”
According to the New York Times (3 March 2009) report on the terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team, “To persuade the Sri Lankans to visit, the Pakistanis offered presidential-style security, Pakistani television reported.”
It seems that presidential-level security may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
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nice picture of Andrew Strauss on Reg’s homepage:
http://www.easternstarinternational.com/index.html
Plus I suspect Andy Flower was doing some of their writing:
” Eastern Star International is a specialist security company which works primarily in international sport but also provides expert security staff to high net-worth individuals and corporate executives from a wide range of environments…… and enjoys excellent working relationships within the international diplomatic and security communities, and has collaborated closely with senior stakeholders within a multitude of sports..”
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And you deserved better than “To reiterate, Reg is regarded as the best in the business.”
Vintage Selvey! I declare his authority is to be respected, so no one else need have an opinion, and anyone who doesn’t agree with him is simply wrong. I surprised he didn’t bolster this with “Informed sources indicate Reg is…” just to make it clear where true knowledge resides.
In any event, it’s a pointless statement in this context. Reg may well be the best in the business, but that still doesn’t mean that safety can be guaranteed. It doesn’t matter how good he is, there remains a risk. The point was being made that it cannot be considered 100% safe, and the credentials of the consultant are a red herring, because it’s impossible for any consultant, regardless of comptence, to declare that.
Looking at that Strauss quote, he didn’t say it was 100% safe, he said he was 100% sure it was safe. Not quite the same thing, if you read it like a pedant.
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@Tregaskis
“Oliver” made the same point about presidential security.
Mike’s reply is a stone-cold classic:
“They [the Sri Lankans] didn’t have Reg Dickason.”
Oliver was most amused.
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Nonoxol,
Thank you for the link. I just read the Oliver reply to Selvey. Brilliantly effective sarcasm.
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Thanks, old thing. Selvey wasn’t being rude in my direction, I felt, so I replied politely. But the problem is there are just so many presumptions and blind spots, it was hard to fit them all in to one response.
Reg is not as qualified as the US State Department, for example.
Reg is a businessman. He has INTERESTS. His level of acceptable risk is HIS, not an objective line all would agree upon (hence the example of governments).
Obama would not visit Bangaldesh, and if he did, he’d demonstrate what true presidential security is by bringing his own.
To not know the Aus government advised CA not to tour was surprising.
To not know what Strauss had said was shocking. Doesn’t he read the papers?
The over all lack of depth of thought, surface and blithe consideration given to complex issues, and failure to examine ANYTHING within the situation depressingly predictable.
Look, I hope it IS safe, I want us to tour, and I want whatever player is there to do well. But the lack of anything resembling analysis still rankles from time to time, so I had to say something.
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II think the avatar is to do with signing in from a different computer? Mine changed too, it used to be a zingy green. (Maybe it still is from this computer, I shall now find out…)
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Nope. Still beige.
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Well, thanks Zeph for sticking to the point and not allowing my thread to get completely high jacked. I preferred your old one too. Annoyingly, Fred’s is now better,
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See, I told you, the wheels are falling off English cricket.
Can’t even manage your avatars, maaate.
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Mine seems fine.
But I’m not smug. Nope.
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And has anyone else noticed how the number of people “following this blog” mysteriously doubled overnight? I reckon WordPress did something dubious, like reregister us all, so we got different avatars. Lucky old Bogfather, I say. He still gets his photo.
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Not that sinister. TLG’S followers were added.
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Aw Rooto! Signed A3 poster versions of me are available…
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Fred, is there any phenomenon anywhere in the world – either naturally occurring or man made – that you DONT take as a sign that the wheels are falling off English cricket?
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Q – if evolution was left to the ECB, the wheel would yet to have been invented, let alone have fallen off…
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Bog: the non-invention of the wheel and its impossibility to therefore fall off English cricket would definitely be taken by Fred as a sign the wheels were falling off English cricket.
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“Mine seems fine.
But I’m not smug. Nope.”
Northernlight, I’ve aways admired your avatar.
Let me guess, you were both in South Africa, right? Played a bit of grade cricket in Australia when you were younger?
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“Fred, is there any phenomenon anywhere in the world – either naturally occurring or man made – that you DONT take as a sign that the wheels are falling off English cricket?”
Sure there is, things have gone pretty well since Bayliss took over. They went quite well for a while under Flower too previously, and Fletcher before that. Trying to figure out the unifying theme there.
It’s real shame I can’t find any historic commentary of Bill Lawry saying “ah, the wheels are falling off now…” in his sad, disappointed tone, as England concede another overthrow. I used to hear it at least once a week, throughout those long hot summers.
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I actually saw the northern lights last weekend for the first time. They look exactly like NothernLight.
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New Newman:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3786013/England-united-Bangladesh-tour-insists-captain-Jos-Buttler.html
It starts off like he’s going to row back a little from his recent bile – and at least he is covering what Buttler said including his positive comments about Morgan.
But the old Newman soon reappears. The line that the dressing room will feel betrayed and won’t respect Morgan having been shot down by those really in the dressing room, Newman therefore tries some new angles:
“it was significant that Andrew Strauss said he was ‘disappointed’ in his one-day captain in a short ECB statement confirming his absence on Sunday night. For ‘disappointed’ read ‘fuming’”
Why should anyone ‘read’ anything into it? Because Newman thinks it’s what he should be feeling?
“Another consequence of Morgan’s action is that England will now be unable to rest any of the key players who play in all formats ahead of their busiest ever year in 2017”.
This is a significant issue – but to shift all the blame on to Morgan is rancid journalism. England could have rested some of these players from the T20I against Pakistan (as many BTL were crying out for them to do). They didn’t – and got thrashed anyway. Is that Morgan’s fault? Why must the players be rested from the ODIs? Why couldn’t one or two be rested from the Tests? I thought ODIs were our new priority? This can’t be pointed out because it’ll show that the supposed priority to ODIs doesn’t amount to a hill of beans – and it’s the main basis for the narrative that Strauss is some Director Comma genius. That, and the supposed separation of Test and ODI teams which also collapses if one looks at it closely. Ultimately, has Newman ever pointed the finger at those who signed off these crazy schedules which is where the blame finally rests?
“England can hardly sack Morgan immediately having said it would not be held against anyone if they pulled out of the Bangladesh tour”.
So, the big question is, how long can it be left before sacking Morgan doesn’t making Strauss look a complete hypocrite? This is where we’ve come to?
Newman finishes with Buttler’s words:
“Eoin made the decision that was right for him and it wasn’t one that was made lightly. People should respect that.”
Amen to that. Newman does seem to have managed to get through a whole article without mentioning Ireland, the IPL or the national anthem so maybe that is the start of the new “respect”. Maybe….
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“it was significant that Andrew Strauss said he was ‘disappointed’
Mel Gibson would think it was significant if Srauss took a dump.
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I was musing to myself this morning as to how Downton would have handled all of this?
With his usual aplomb I guess?
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If the direct link doesn’t work, and should you wish to read John Etheridge in full clownshoes mode, try going in through Dave Tickner on Twitter:
https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/cricket/1771882/eoin-morgan-signs-up-for-big-bash-as-part-of-global-money-spinning-tour-despite-snubbing-englands-bangladesh-trip/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
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Atherton’s usually worth reading but this seems an unusually muddle-headed piece from him:
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/players-should-trust-the-security-experts-and-go-sxc9hdwwc?shareToken=3aefff8173d69a743d23b7a87509c1b2
The story about Zimbabwe is interesting in itself – but utterly unanalogous to this issue.
(Again, if the direct link doesn’t work, try going in through his Twitter page)
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Atherton concludes: “Dickason has done his job; it is time for England’s cricketers to do theirs”
It is a pity that Director Comma did not do his. His job was to digest the security information and then commit that the ECB is commited to the tour and give all assurances to the players. Passing on the responsibility that it is “for them to decide” smacks like dodging a liaibility issue. This is what managment’s job.
A dissapointingly weak performance by Mr Trust, his organisation and a horrible show by the media mob. Mr Etheridge you should be ashamed of yourself. But then, nice to see your true colours.
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What do you expect? Strauss’s CV – batted nicely for Middx, batted nicely for England, captained quite well, after first choice upset ECB, followed the team manager’s instructions, failed as a commentator, given Director, Cricket position to dismiss KP …… Qualifications for doing difficult stuff ???????
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These are cricketers, not Marines. The ECB is not a military organisation. This is sport…… not war, and defence of the Realm.
If they don’t want players making choices then they should not have given the players the chance to choose for themselves. Good luck with that in a democracy, and non military institution.
I listened to Josh Butlers interview. Obviously he is very pleased to be captain, but I got the distinct impression there are no grudges being held against Morgan and Hales form within the dressing room. Now obviously he is going to be diplomatic, but I belived him. So it seems the only people who are upset is the Downton Abbey type England management. They should get over it, and stop whinging to their media chums.
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Interesting comment from Andrew Miller about the press and Morgan on the new Switch Hit. I think Miller would qualify as someone who’s been in a press box and doesn’t wear a tin-foil hat?
Someone in the broadcast (I think it was McGlashan) claimed that England lost only two home ODI series in the 1990s. I checked this and it isn’t quite true (England lost four plus a triangular tournament in 1998 – although the broader point, that England have had past runs of home ODI success before that didn’t count for much when it came to ICC tournaments, still holds).
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Remember, Andrew, it’s all about “trust”. As you vent your fury by proxy on Eoin Morgan for exercising his “free choice”.
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I honestly reckon all this “for disappointed read fuming” interpretation from the press is bullshit. It would be too obviously hypocritical of Strauss to be more than respectfully “disappointed” but accepting (seeing as he gave them the choice), wouldn’t it?
Even for the ECB.
Wouldn’t it?
?!
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No, I’m with you on that, Roo. Strauss is to much of a real cricketer. An administrator with no understanding would be fuming. Don’t get me wrong: Strauss wants to win, and he’s aways been harder than he was given credit for. I think that Strauss is a company man, but he has WAY more to him than most company men. I think he cares far more for results than he does for administration itself. I genuinely think winning is his bottom line.
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BTW, how goes the becoming French thing?
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Morning. On the back burner. My partner has discovered an Irish grandmother, and I’m just stalling.
I’m taking the Reg Dickason approach: “I’m sure it’ll be fine. What did you say? I’ve got my fingers in my ears…”
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The five options revealed:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2016/09/13/ecb-seeks-support-from-counties-for-radical-city-based-t20-tourn/
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Newman’s take on today at Lord’s:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-3787912/D-Day-counties-fighting-Twenty20-plan-crunch-meeting-approaches.html
Hang in there for the last three paragraphs on Colin Graves.
Dobell’s view is up on Cricinfo. He doesn’t go as far as Newman but does appear to be saying Harrison and/or Graves could be on the way out. Lizzy Ammon is arguing on Twitter that it won’t be D-Day today because nearly half the counties will be saying they can’t decide until they’ve consulted their members which the NDAs stopped them doing.
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As the kids say “LOLZ” to the penultimate paragraph.
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I never did see how these NDAs (Gagging orders) could work when the counties have to report back to their members. It smacked of corporate bullying by the ECB. Trying to railroad the process.
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It is called TRUST Mark…
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#16 (OC version) offers public service to make outsiders feel welcome…
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Oh dear. My two worlds have collided.
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He’s wrong about Slurrey. My mum called them Slurrey for years, just to annoy my Dad. But don’t tell Dmitri . . .
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FFS, this #39 guy…
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Come in #39, your time is well and truly up!!
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“It is NOT about money”
What is it about then? Because it is not about free to air tv for spreading the game. Me thinks The Anyalist is malfunctioning.
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So, the counties have finally voted to abolish all English professional domestic cricket. Just have to hope they don’t take the amateur game down with them.
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And it wasn’t even close. Cue much crowing. Arse.
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Its just hard to fathom how stupid this is. Can’t they see that this is going to be a complete disaster? It will go further than simply undoing all the good work put in by several counties of the last few years leading to a remarkable 67% increase in attendance (no thanks to the ECB), it will completely destroy the professional game – both the CC and the T20 competition will suffer massive falls in attendance. Thousands less people will watch or maintain an interest in cricket. Several counties will go bankrupt.
How can so many people be so profoundly thick? There’s too many people speaking in favour of this for them all to be in on the scam. Most of them are just plain stupid.
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Go to 52:15 – 53:20.
Nothing much ever changes.
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Swear box please:
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Please.
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After deleting a long and actionable reply, I’ll settle for chucking you a fiver and shouting “WHAT A C***!” very loudly.
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Simon Hughes is just a bit thick, isn’t he?
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Thought I should share this with you. Are Somerset deluded, or is it really still at the ‘fleshing out’ stage? We can only hope. (Not sure if it will link directly – first time linker)
http://www.somersetcountycc.co.uk/2016/09/club-statement-future-domestic-schedule/#QA34TkUbtkqJl58T.97
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Who’s up for a rematch between the above titan and this guy?
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And…. cue Cilla (RIP):
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Seriously, is there anything more depressingly predictable than…
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Its like a joke, isn’t it?
ECB Logic:
Q. What’s more popular and profitable than 9 T20 games?
A. 4 T20 games.
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This is just a gigantic fucking joke. Hey Selve, there’s an ASHES AND A WORLD CUP IN ENGLAND IN 2019!
AN ASHES AND A WORLD CUP!
God the stink of complacent idiocy is rank. Absolutely rank.
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They’re killing the grassroots of the game, and they don’t fucking care, because, for them, cricket is just their wealthy mates and free tickets. Absolute arsewipes. (There’s not even any reason for Selvey to be a coveted mouthpiece any more. that Kool-Aid must be strong stuff. Another big fat C***)
The counties have voted for a share in the ticket revenues to their own funeral. Madness.
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The tone of every single one of his tweets is “I know best”. The subtext is “the ECB are right again”. He’s been so far up their fundament for so long he has not the slightest idea how to communicate with those who haven’t. Unless he deigns to “respect” them, of course (which usually means people Inside Cricket only). I was wavering and mellowing slightly, but good riddance, frankly.
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Its alarmingly clear, that with the obvious exception of George Dobell, no-one in the MSN or any position of power or influence has spent even 10 minutes thinking about how this would actually work in reality.
Even the phrase “city based competition” annoys me, as if the current venues for T20 Blast games were in the middle of a cow field. ITS ALREADY A CITY BASED COMPETITION.
Does anybody seriously think that removing the “shire” from a bunch of team names is going to make the slightest difference to attendances?
They will soon find that if you play half the number of games in exactly the same sized venues as before, you end up with half the number of total spectators, and half the amount of total income.
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If anyone momentarily wonders why Sky is referred to as ECB TV, check out David Lloyd on Twitter in the last few hours.
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