My question was directed at those on the panel for the enquiry not calling his racist view out as soon as he started sprouting them.
Yes, understood.
1 Like
I can only speak for the NW of England but aside from a fabulous team of West Indians we play every few years, I see no black players in local cricket. It’s also absolutely true that two of the players in our team used to take several weeks off around exam time. Not the white kids, the ones from India. That’s not racist, that’s observation of the facts. Guess what, another anecdotal story from me.
I remember hearing Sir Viv years ago lambasting basketball and football for advertising directly at West Indies kids and taking their best talent. Before deciding that this white guy is just a racist, is it possible (ha) that he might have a valid point?
Can’t be, he must just be a racist………
Pretty sure kids of Asian origin out perform white kids at school. Could that be through greater dedication and harder work?
I’m not saying he’s right, I’m just putting forward the simple idea that commenting on Asian and black kids doesn’t automatically make him a racist. You know, cultural differences?
I hope this whole old white guy network comes crashing down as soon as possible. It’s the only hope for English cricket to survive in this century.
And yes, I’m an old white guy.
1 Like
I am sure that there has been an impact from the popularity of other sports (boxing in the US is another one in decline because of this) but I think it is somewhat being overplayed here and that is also unlikely that cultural differences are the driving factor here. I also find it concerning that it is a representative of Middlesex that is making these comments, because of the diversity of young people in North London and the surrounding areas that should be feeding into his county set up.
Cricket has been in decline in the UK because of school funding cuts reducing the amount that is being played in state schools. Two thirds of the national team are privately educated, and 46% of those in the professional men’s game despite only 6% of people being educated privately in the UK.
I may be wrong, but I think that about two thirds of those educated in the independent school’s sector are white british.
23% of those playing county cricket have come through Graham fowler’s MCCU scheme which helps young people keen to have a future playing cricket also get a degree.
2 Likes
I think we played cricket twice at high school, state school. 90s Not sure you can blame governmental cuts. Kids play their parents’ games, play football with them, they play football, play cricket etc. My old cricket club was evicted as football took over. Taking cricket off terrestrial TV and hoarding the money might have something to do with this.
2 Likes
Removing cricket from terrestrial TV was quite damning.
I went to a bog standard comprehensive in Southport but we did play a lot of Quick cricket when the fields were a quagmire.
As for Asians they are the only ones playing cricket pretty much across the youth and adult sides at my local football teams facilities which we share.
I would say there is an issue why these players aren’t coming through in the numbers you’d expect and it’s not just about education so I think his excuse on that is poor.
3 Likes
It could be a contributing factor, that is possible is my point.
A very minor one, not specific to asians that means it shouldn’t have been a point he led with.
You are right it isn’t just a monetary issue but government cuts have undoubtedly had a significant impact - consider the selling off of school fields (under the Conservative governments of 1979 to 1997, 10,000+ school playing fields across Britain were sold off. A further 200 sold off under Labour between 1997 and 2010. Then consider how expensive it is to buy the equipment needed. Initiatives such as Kwik Cricket have obviously been introduced to help tackle these issues, but it doesn’t solve them completely. Then there are the demands that often come attached with any additional monies for schools.
There are also added factors at play, such as cricket not being a requirement of the curriculum. If you have staff with little knowledge or interest in the game, and if it isn’t part of the curriculum already then it is difficult to see it being introduced which just perpetuates the decline.
I agree with your comment about terrestrial TV. I learned so much from watching the test matches on BBC and John Emburey’s book on spin bowling.
1 Like
When he made his Test debut my Mum said ‘England have got a new player called Embryo!’
Windies absolutely on fire here, great game 
1 Like
If we get anywhere close to this I’ll eat my shorts.
@13-2 I’m looking forward to you chowing down into your Nikes
Any idea why Salt is due in so late when he usually opens in T20 cricket?
Debutant plus all the others open as well.
1 Like
Would have put him and Brook above Livi and Moeen tbh. Fair not to have him open with the options we have but I’d wanna give them a decent chance to show their worth
Looking good
Is 20 runs close enough?
Good game regardless of loss.
1 Like