With the fifth Test due to get under way, the ECB have been slapping themselves on the back at a job well done and as usual the media have been all too complicit in ignoring the wider issues.
There is nothing quite so important, nor quite so scandalous, as the power grab by the Big Three of world cricket, to take over the ICC, and to award themselves the bulk of the revenues, while emasculating every other cricketing nation whether Test playing or Associate. It is the subject of the recently released film, Death of a Gentleman, for which you can read our review both of the film and the issues it raises here:
Those who have seen the film are angry. Those who know what it’s about are angry. Those who read our post on it are angry too. Yet the constant frustration has been that the authorities neither listen, nor care what the fans think. As Gideon Haigh pointed out, supporters are there purely to be exploited.
Jarrod Kimber and Sam Collins, who made the film always intended it to be the catalyst for those who love the game and who have supported it both financially and with their time to raise their voices in protest at what our own boards, created to protect the game, are doing in their own selfish interest and with no regard for anything or anyone else.
The film was the first step, the creation of the http://www.changecricket.com website and @changecricket Twitter account another.
The cry of the disenfranchised is always “what can I do?” so to that end, this Thursday on the first day of the fifth Test at the Oval, there will be a silent protest mourning the death of cricket as we know it.
All who wish to register their objections to the theft of our game by those who care only for power and money are invited to attend. At 10am, a three minute silence (one minute for each of the England, Australia and India boards) will be held at the Hobbs Gate outside the ground.
The protest is being supported by Jamie Fuller and Damian Collins MP, both of whom have been part of the campaign against corruption at FIFA in recent times. Paul Burnham of the Barmy Army will also be there.
Even if not attending the match, the organisers ask that anyone in the area who can make it for an hour come along and show support for this most important of causes. Sam and Jarrod have suggested fans wear their country’s colours, but the most important thing is to get a good attendance, and then maybe even the cricket press who have in large part (the exceptions know who they are) remained silent.
This is our game, and while we might argue until we’re blue in the face about issues like Kevin Pietersen, the point is that we want to be able to argue about it in the future, and there’s no guarantee we will be able to.
The greedy, self-interested bastards at the BCCI, ECB and CA are stealing our sport. It’s time to stop them.
I said on Twitter earlier that I was taking another night off, and at the moment, I’m not sure what to write even if I did. Real life is a bit of a grind, and I’m incredibly disheartened by the aftermath of the Ashes.
As you all know, I go through these little troughs, and I pop back up. So be patient, and I’m sure TLG might fill in some gaps when he has time.
So in the absence of something to hang your hats on, please comment away on all things cricket below.
So. I was walking out of the office, down to the station, and on the train home, and I’m wondering. What do I write tonight? Anything? Leave things alone and have a night off?
I don’t think I can. The atmosphere among cricket circles is, certainly, from what I can see, venomous. The vast majority of England cricket fans don’t give two hoots about how the game is run, and just want to enjoy the game. There is, I know, widespread ambivalence to the ins and outs of cricket administration, office politics, personal disputes. But I’ve been on this trip for a while, and I know others feel like me.
Now. Let me get this straight. I didn’t want to do this, because it is a bit like dick waving, but here goes. I’m going to set down, in words, my cricket life.
I’ve been a member of Surrey CCC for about six or seven years. Gave up because I had to make savings.
I went to the Oval test for 15 years, often organising all our group’s tickets, outlaying the cash when I could afford to do so. Plus ODIs. Plus visits to Lord’s. Plus Trent Bridge. Stopped
Two Ashes tours of two tests each – Brisbane and Adelaide 2002; Adelaide and Perth 2006. Took the chance to see the SCG (NSW v South Australia) and MCG (Victoria v Queensland) on those trips.
A tour to South Africa in 2004-5 – Cape Town test and two days of Joburg (days 2 & 3, worse luck).
Played cricket at school. Scored for England Schools (one game – Mark Ealham, Chris Lewis, Mark Alleyne all played, and Paul Farbrace kept wicket for Kent). Played club cricket for 16 years. Captain of my work team for a few years, occasional social player until injury finished me off.
I used to record all cricket that I could. I had a library of VHS tapes with cricket (no, none of that, please) on that, once the DVD age came and the video they were recorded on died, I couldn’t play any more because the tracking was f*cked. I could have rivalled Rob Moody on Youtube, except copyright freaked me out. I still have most of England cricket on DVD since 2005 (first series was Pakistan), and as much of the international stuff that I can record. I’m a cricket nerd.
I have Wisdens dating back to the early 70s. I have mountains of cricket books. Lots and lots of them. I scour bookshops for some old accounts of tours gone by. Love bargains.
I keep all my ticket stubs, my match programmes, those silly things they hand out at games.
I yearn to be able to go on England tours again, or any cricket, but money is a lot tighter these days.
I’ve been cricket blogging for 5 or 6 years, first on HDWLIA and now here.
I blogged on a previous host, frequently talking about cricket on there too.
As you know, I’m a mad keen photographer of the game. Every game I go to, I try to take pictures of the action, to get that great shot. Like this one….
Justin Langer bowled first ball – 2nd Innings, Perth 2006
I have written about how I hated nets. I have written about the traumatic experience of making a diamond duck. I have written about bad press well before the incidents of early last year. I’ve written of my tour to Australia in 2006. I’ve written pieces on here about how the 2005 Ashes were so important to me because of family events (and I want to send out my thoughts to one of our regular commenters, not naming them, but they know who they are, going through some awfully tough times at present). I’ve made lifelong friends, like Sir Peter, Danno, and the many, many top guys at Old Josephians, and with the business colleagues we play against.
I owe this sport a hell of a lot.
DON’T
ANYONE
EVER
F*CKING
QUESTION
HOW
MUCH
I LOVE
THIS
SPORT
I do not question those who do not agree with me on their’s. I do not hold myself up as a better or worse supporter than anyone else, just that I love the sport of cricket and care deeply about it. I really didn’t want to list this, but it needs saying, as evidence of track record, of loving the game, especially tests. For once I’ve done it. If you’ve been a long-term reader of this blog, then you’d know it. I don’t need to tell you, you don’t need to tell me.
I muted someone on Twitter – yes, I know – who absolutely gets on my tits. I don’t block. This wouldn’t piss me off as much except that I know that a number of others feel the same, but won’t say it. I warned Maxie not to talk to him, but he did. When he’s not telling someone they are beyond parody, he’s churning out this line.
@thefulltoss@jackbyrne91 haha you really are a complete moron like. Political? Pick a different sport. You were proved wrong get over it
He’s an insignficant little so and so, I know, but I’m not letting this lie, and he can spout off all he likes on his Twitter feed. But this is my home ground, and I’ll comment here. I don’t give a shit if he’s an “England supporter”. So am I.
Oh, I got this:
@jackbyrne91 @DmitriOld @thefulltoss haha you guys are beyond parody! Read his book!! And you still defend him, even though We won the Ashes
Look, I know. I shouldn’t give this pathetic excuse the oxygen of publicity he so certainly craves. The effort, the sustained effort to put logical thoughts into words to craft posts etc. is something we can all look forward to from him when the time comes, although, like me, Jack Byrne, James Morgan and Maxie Allen, it’ll be beyond parody. And no, none of this was directed at me, but it was directed at some of our blogging comrades, and I’m not having it. Je Suis Maxie and James and all that.
You see, we attack the ECB. I’ve given up trying to get into rational debate about Alastair Cook, every bit as much as I am about getting into a rational debate about KP. As for Strauss, well. Let’s see on this one, eh?
Some can separate the ECB from England.
I UNDERSTAND
HOW
YOU
CAN
DO
THAT
Now, when we attack people from having the opposite point of view, its usually aimed at journalists, ignorant people on social media or, most importantly, the ECB.
When they attack someone of the opposite point of view, they attack us. Nice. And when we go back at you, we get that drivel.
James Morgan, today, tried to tread the middle path. I tried that last year when I was sick of all the rows, and nothing happened. Of course it didn’t. The schism remains, and neither side of it can wish it away. Wounds run too deep. They aren’t petty, they are deep. To see my blog described, and it’s mine and Maxie he’s having a pop at, as “anti-England”, I just get angrier and angrier. I do not see life through your damn prism, so don’t keep telling me you have it right.
I am royally pissed off. If people take pleasure in that, that’s up to them. I don’t. There’s no hint at rapprochement here. People want blood. I’m not pretending for one minute that I’ve been a model citizen, and I’ve lost my rag every now and again, but I see precious little of that from the opposing view.
I say “beware the man who claims he is honest, because he’s usually a liar, and that’s his first one”, but you get honesty on here from me. If someone cheeses me off, then I react. Big or small. I’d fisk Dominic Lawson’s dog whistle article if I could be arsed, but he’s a toffee nosed prick who thinks there’s not a sliver of difference in KP and Cook’s commercial attitudes, and then denigrates an entire England legend’s career. You haven’t found me doing that to Cook. I’d rage on about Ed Smith, but he’s just ingratiating himself with authority, and he’s definitely their kind of person. See SeanB, who knows a thing or two about Middlesex, about that man’s credentials. Then there’s the BTL buffoons.
I return to James Morgan’s piece. Can’t we all just get along? Public Enemy, in my one culture reference of the piece, in their track “Whole Lotta Love Goin’ On” say “Rap is a contact sport”. This has been a contact sport all right. Some are sick of it. I think it’s just starting. I’m prepared for it. I’ve been doing it for a long time now.
I wish I could be more positive, but it ain’t happening. We were always going to be attacked, and we were always going to respond. I wanted to let the situation breathe. It hasn’t.
Dmitri Comment – Congratulations to the England cricket team for reclaiming the Ashes from Australia. They have taken their opportunities with ruthlessness and vigour. The bowling has been very very good, and the batting has been mostly solid where the opposition’s has been rickety.
We can discuss everything that surrounds this series in due course. The fact is that we’ve hammered Australia in two successive matches to put Lord’s behind us. Only subsequently will we find out if this is the start of something special, or a false dawn. I have no problem at all with people celebrating. I’m sorry I can’t feel the unbridled joy of 2005 or 2009 (when I was there when they were won).
Feel great for most of those players today. They did England proud.
A few years ago, when I played club cricket, we used to go on tour to Berkshire / Oxfordshire for a tour. We used to play five games on the half-term week at the end of May / beginning of June. We played Bagshot, Kidmore End, Shiplake College, Harpsden or Purley (or any combo thereof) before our Friday fixture. The end of the tour match.
This match traditionally was our nadir. Goring were a decent team, but by this time our band of fat (me) and old cricketers were beginning to long for home. We’d been on tour too long. Our bodies were not coping well. The fact is, too much beer, too much curry, too many big breakfasts and too much time playing meant we were a rabble come Goring on a Friday. We used to get absolutely stuffed.
Any time our club side played a normal game, and got thoroughly defeated, we termed it a “Goring”.
Today, Australia have received a Goring. I’ll even add Harpsden (where I played my last ever club match in a 200 run defeat) to that mix. A Goring/Harpsden.
Where on earth do you start? The first over that ended 10/2 with the two hundred makers, Smith and Rogers gone and forgotten. I was at work, and Broad’s clatter of wickets resonated as the three or four of us keeping an eye on the game told each other the news. Of course, I was first because Andy gave me the head start (see comments thread).
60 all out. That is absolutely dreadful. Pomicide they are calling it Down Under. Stuart Broad took 8-15, which Devon Malcolm’s day of days aside is the best figures I’ve ever seen from an England bowler. I’ve never seen Australia bowled out for less by England. I thought Melbourne 2010 was the perfect day’s cricket, but that performance on Boxing Day was Stalingrad compared to today’s capitulation. Malcolm Conn’s birthday will always be remembered. “At least we won’t lose 5-0” was his disappointing and somewhat half-hearted response to the “bantz”.
Joe Root rammed home the advantage. This is his team, and we’ve been saying this for months now. He is our best batsman, he seems to be the one to keep the flags flying, the spirits up. We will see his tactical nous in due course.
It’s the aftermath that is possibly more interesting than the action itself. Unless something else happens that defies the mind, you can stick a fork in the Aussies. They are done. Now we get to see people get carried away…..
It’s been a day. 214 in front. Game pretty much over. A Goring.
No posts from me today. Horrendous migraine headache (no alcohol involved) all day.
Normal service to be resumed tomorrow. Hopefully.
UPDATE While a little better today (Monday) still not up to much. If I feel ok after work I might put up the latest Ashes panel but likelihood is I won’t.
This should be the last day; it would be an incredible (or rainy) day if it wasn’t. Here is the portal for comments as England go 2-1 up. If that isn’t the case, well…..
Of course I’ll be in meetings again when the action is on. Been a great test for action by all reports. Not bitter.
If you have all recovered from the hyperbole and shock of day one, it’s time to consider day two and provide comments below.
Three runs behind with seven wickets in hand is a massively strong platform on which to build but we know the Aussies will go hard. Root is the key one would think.
Again, as I’m still in the position where I need to work to pay the bills, I won’t get to watch much of the play so please keep me up to date with all that goes on.
The third match in the Ashes series is scheduled to take place today, but weather may well win. It certainly is here as it has blocked out my satellite system so I can’t watch it.
With the series poised at 1-1 (and the points at 2-2) the winner, if there is one, will take the lead going into the 4 point Test Match on 11 August.
If there is any play, please feel free to put comments below.
In the meantime, I’ve updated a couple of Century Watches on The Extra Bits if you are interested. More stuff will go up on there during the day, all being well.
Being Outside Cricket 