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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 25, 2020 10:34:25 GMT
Here are the two most read online stories last week from The Cricketer Magazine.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 26, 2020 9:32:44 GMT
Any remaining fears The 100 would have a detrimental effect on the T20 Blast and its success can be dispelled. I would suggest
a majority of counties will experience similar ticket sales success this season that Sussex and Hampshire have enjoyed.
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Post by flashblade on Feb 26, 2020 9:53:49 GMT
Any remaining fears The 100 would have a detrimental effect on the T20 Blast and its success can be dispelled. I would suggest a majority of counties will experience similar ticket sales success this season that Sussex and Hampshire have enjoyed. You could interpret the High T20 ticket sales as a sign of what fans think of the Ton! |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 27, 2020 12:35:57 GMT
And many people believe women's cricket is a more modern-day phenomenon.  |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 27, 2020 16:06:39 GMT
 BBC sports radio commentator, Adrian Harms, is brushing off the cricket cobwebs and beginning the rounds of pre-season interviews. Adrian starts with Sussex CCC Captain Ben Brown asking how his Winter has gone, the forthcoming pre-season training in Cape Town, South Africa, Ollie Robinson's progress and the new squad members including Travis Head and Stuart Meaker. www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p084rhj4 |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 27, 2020 16:20:06 GMT
An excellent and fun interview. Well worth a listen.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 28, 2020 9:55:28 GMT
Ian Watmore, the former CEO of the FA has been appointed the next Chairman of the ECB Imho, a bizarre appointment from the ECB. Colin Graves one completely understood. Cricket through and through, a gritty Yorkshireman and highly successful entrepreneur and businessman, who followed in the footsteps of a similar success story Giles Clarke. Yet, when you study Ian Watmore's Wiki, he comes over as a typical former civil servant who got where he got because he followed orders. This appointment has the establishment brand written all over it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_WatmoreWatmore is not so much a charismatic leader, full of daring and innovative ideas like his predecessors, but a dull and grey apostle. After leaving the Civil Service in 2009 to become CEO of The Football Association, succeeding another dull and grey apostle Brian Barwick, Watmore only survived nine months, before promptly resigning and scarpering back to the Civil Service. In fact, resigning seems to be a popular past-time. In 2011, Watmore became Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office and then six months later resigned again. Surely, this ECB appointment is about sucking up to the Boris government and using all of Watmore's governmental contacts to their advantage? Perhaps, an establishment move by the ECB worried about the success of The 100 and seeking all favours possible along the way. An interesting side note: Watmore has been a Church Commissioner since 2014 and his wife is a priest in the Church of England. www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-8053291/Former-Football-Association-chief-executive-Ian-Watmore-charge-ECB.html
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Post by flashblade on Feb 28, 2020 10:45:48 GMT
Ian Watmore, the former CEO of the FA has been appointed the next Chairman of the ECBImho, a bizarre appointment from the ECB. Colin Graves one completely understood. Cricket through and through, a gritty Yorkshireman and highly successful entrepreneur and businessman, who followed in the footsteps of a similar success story Giles Clarke. Yet, when you study Ian Watmore's Wiki, he comes over as a typical former civil servant who got where he did because he followed orders. This appointment has the establishment brand written all over it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_WatmoreWatmore is not so much a charismatic leader, full of daring and innovative ideas like his predecessors, but a dull and grey apostle. After leaving the Civil Service in 2009 to become CEO of The Football Association, succeeding another dull and grey apostle Brian Barwick, Watmore only survived nine months, before promptly resigning and scarpering back to the Civil Service. In fact, resigning seems to be a popular past-time. In 2011, Watmore became Permanent Secretary to the Cabinet Office and then six months later resigned again. Surely, this ECB appointment is about sucking up to the Boris government and using all of Watmore's governmental contacts to their advantage? Perhaps, an establishment move by the ECB worried about the success of The 100 and seeking all favours possible along the way. An interesting side note: Watmore has been a Church Commissioner since 2014 and his wife is a priest in the Church of England. www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-8053291/Former-Football-Association-chief-executive-Ian-Watmore-charge-ECB.html This appointment should make it easier to kill off The Ton. Graves has slunk away moved on before the s*** hits the fan. He will blame his successor for its failure. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 28, 2020 10:59:06 GMT
The FREE Thursday Argus has a superb two page spread discussing the plans for the exciting new redevelopments at the Hove County ground. The inspiration of Club CEO Rob Andrew, these plans include, initially, a new nine-storey building with 37 flats on the site where the Cricketers presently resides, a new pub and restaurant as well as commercial premises and parking. The second phase of the scheme includes demolishing the present staff offices and part of the South West 'Sharks' Stand and replacing this with a new extension, Club shop, reception area, bar, cafe and hospitality area. This application will be decided upon next week by the 'Brighton & Hove City Council's Planning Committee'. Read about the plans below.   |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 28, 2020 11:17:35 GMT
Here is another excellent cricket-related story published in the Argus this week , a story which surprisingly only the Daily Mail have picked up on. Otherwise, this is merely a local news item. When you're a farmer, a former England Captain and been recently knighted, moving into the environment and showing your green credentials is a perfect move for Sir Alastair Cook. Congratulations to bat manufacturer Gray-Nicholls for their worthy initiative and choosing the right, but also, obvious man for the cause. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXnO_Cv8ZaA |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 28, 2020 11:47:20 GMT
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 28, 2020 23:44:19 GMT
A lovely touch. Good luck grounders with your new life.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Feb 29, 2020 12:03:06 GMT
 When extreme weather strikes Britain, there are always amazing stories that unfold, from human bravery and courage to just the absurd. Worcestershire CCCs ground New Road has been regularly highlighted in recent years, where flooding to their ground is as common as a Moeen Ali six. Even so, the three storms, Ciara, Dennis and Jorge which have struck the Western part of the UK has caused consistent devastation unparalleled in recent memory. Therefore, to hear that New Road has been under water now for over 60 days, Yes, 60 days, or two months, should not come as a surprise. Even so, this borders on the absurd. How can any cricket county ground staff cope with such devastation? How can a cricket pitch and outfield ever survive and then regenerate from such a calamity? Typically, Sussex CCC are affected because of their away game to Worcestershire CCC on April 25th. Already the home side are preparing to switch their first County Championship game to Chester Road, Kidderminster, after Sussex have turned down the option of swapping home fixtures with them. Since Kidderminster lost its annual fixture in 2002, the county have only staged five four-day games there - two following the great summer flood of 2007, another in 2008 and then two more in June 2019 when Worcester suffered another bad summer flood. The first of those two games in 2019 were against Sussex and the visitors were sufficiently happy with the quality of the pitch and the facilities to return there. Worcester Chairman Fanos Hira told the local BBC, "We did look at the option of swapping with Sussex, who we are due to play at Hove in August, but we totally understand their rationale for not doing so. They are more than happy to come to Kidderminster again. Their coach Jason Gillespie was very positive about how Kidderminster coped." Hira's latest concern is counting the cost of yet another New Road flood, but points out that it does not compare to the damage inflicted on some local residents. "We've become quite adept at dealing with this. A lot of the costs are mitigated," he said. "But there are close to 500 homes impacted in the county. That's where our first thoughts lie. "As far as our square is concerned, we reseed, we repair and we go again. But most of our facilities are above the flood plain. We're warm and dry and most of the function rooms are in use so the impact there is slight. Some machinery is under water. One blotter we may have lost was an old one." He continued, "We're slightly concerned about the Ladies Pavilion, as to whether there might be structural repair damage. And it sadly appears to be a dirty flood. We've already estimated 120 labour days to clean up the whole stadium." It is still "ifs" and "buts" about Kidderminster and a final decision will be made in a month's time, but given the extreme weather conditions plus the present devastation to New Road, it seems highly likely Sussex will be off to Chester Road on April 25th. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/51674663 |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 2, 2020 12:43:15 GMT
The pre-season hype is in full swing amongst the 18 cricket counties as teams announce their ambitions for the new season with glorious expectations and inflated hopes and Sussex CCC are no different. One of the first to come forward is Jofra Archer who says that he is confident the Club "will play" at the Edgbaston T20 Finals Day on September 5th.  (pic: Getty Images)“We are going to get there, so it’s not ‘potentially’”, says an optimistic Jofra. “It means a lot to try and win some silverware for Sussex.” Adding, “It’s a club I love, I’ve been here pretty much all of my life, so I’d love to repay the fans and the management with something to show.” It is becoming increasingly likely that all 7 home games will be sell-outs. According to the Sussex CCC Website, already the Blast passes sold out 100 days before the Club take on Kent in their first match, compared to four days ahead of the Sharks’ opening home game of the tournament last season. And this increased demand has already carried over to individual matches. Ticket purchases during the weekend’s priority window were 101% higher than across the entire first week of sales in 2019. The Sharks’ performances over the past two seasons – reaching the Final in 2018 and topping the South Group to secure a home QF (another sell out) in 2019 – have done plenty to make The Blast at Hove the hottest summer ticket in town. And what isn’t there to like when there are a parade of our OD stars to watch like Laurie Evans, Chris Jordan, Tymal Mills, Phil Salt, Luke Wright, Rashid Khan, new overseas Aussie signing Travis Head and of course Jofra Archer. He concludes, “I enjoy the crowd – it’s a big part of the game and they always make you feel like you’re at home.” Unfortunately, there is still the small matter of young Jof’s injury. A pesky elbow strain that is taking awhile to heal. There is a full-on summer ahead of him what with potential early T20 games for Sussex, followed by England internationals and then The 100, so it is all fingers and toes crossed for him to achieve a full recovery. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 2, 2020 12:56:34 GMT
Simply put, there are too many Ollie Robinsons' in the cricketing world. So, who is "Ollie 1" and who is "Ollie 2?" My goodness, the headaches this will cause the journos.  |
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