Not so rosy at the Rose Bowl

At what must have been the only ground in the country bathed in sunshine, England wrapped up the one-dayers against India at The Rose Bowl. And with the news that women's cricket is finally to have a home in England at Taunton, the game has a bright future, aptly demonstrated by an assured 61 from 17-year-old Sarah Taylor. Yet the feeling around the ground - and it didn't take long to assess the tiny crowd's thoughts - was 'What are we doing here?'

"India and England women have been spoilt by the venues they have been given for this series." Quite a sweeping statement, there, by the ever-cheerful Bob Willis and one that's not entirely fair. True, this is the second home of Shane Warne - not to mention Robin 'the judge' Smith's adopted drinking hole - but such a remark holds little gravitas these days. Or does it?

After all, these are internationals in their own right and so they should be held, where possible, at international venues. Indeed the women put on a cracking show at Lord's in the first match of this series in front of 3,000 people who created an atmosphere worthy of the occasion.

But 200 people in a 7,000-seater venue can't be expected to have the same effect, and with today's game at Southampton, Willis may have had a point. Pancakes don't come flatter than the lack-of-atmosphere in The Rose Bowl leaving even the ECB's executive director for women's cricket, Gill McConway, to agree: "It's disappointing for the players to play in quite a big shell."

But why so few? McConway suggested that maybe the weather kept the crowds away. Possibly. But today stayed dry, as forecast, and brightened up a treat later. Perhaps they were put off by having to pay, unlike at Lord's. Perhaps the other would-be spectators just didn't know. Although Sky's production crew are out in force here, McConway was disappointed that not once among the rain breaks during yesterday's Pro40 match did Sky take the opportunity to announce this tie.

Even so, they still sent more than fifty staff to the match, not to mention the 30-plus back at HQ in Osterley. At the recent Under-19 one-dayers in Cardiff, they had a similar number - more than one employee for every two spectators there. Glamorous cricket this may not be - although this is one England team that's getting its one-day act together - but there's no doubting the players' and Sky's commitment to it.

What about the Rose Bowl's authorities letting the public know? Much like Hove's staging of a critical Ashes match last year, there's little advertising on Hampshire's website and nothing in the ground. But McConway is quick to say she's had the support of both the board and the county cricket club. "They have been extremely helpful."

That's not, perhaps, as the spectators would see it. They had to pay £7 to park their car - there is no option to park nearby and walk and with the poor public transport options, a taxi from the train station costs nearly a tenner. "I'm not coming back tomorrow directly because of the car-parking charge," confirmed one of the few hardy spectators, Kath. She, like many others, however did not have a problem with paying £5 to get in and as McConway says "If you don't charge for women's cricket you are undervaluing it." So why was it free entry at Lord's the other day? "Lord's stipulated it was to be free." And what do you know, they got the largest crowd.

So still the question remains, why The Rose Bowl? Well, logistics account for where games are played. The women's calendar comes secondary to all men's domestic cricket - although that's about to change at Taunton when the ground is launched as the home of women's cricket next week - and there's not much budget for staging women's matches as it is. "I try to have a logical circuit," says McConway, "Two outgrounds and other full county grounds. It doesn't always happen."

The importance of the move to Somerset cannot be underestimated. The televised games next year will be at that ground and, given Taunton's reputation for attracting spectators to the women's game, Sky will be delighted that they will have more crowds to pan to than today's baleful lone crowd shots of one woman and a sandwich.

"It makes me angry," fumed another fan, Martin, at the lack of crowds and apparent lack of commitment from Hampshire. "Cricket has to make itself attractive."

If county grounds that haven't got Test match status want to aspire to it then they need to sort out public transport and publicity. It's all very well for Hampshire to bemoan not getting the Ashes, but today's match will have done them no favours in the grander scheme of things.