
|

Advertising the product - but it was the only poster in evidence, and even then it was inside the ground!
© Cricinfo
|
|
Few people know that the women's Ashes is on at the moment, so you would think the publicists would be happy with any kind of leg-up they could get to promote the series. Apparently not. Access to the England men's team is jealously guarded, but understandably so - everyone
wants a piece of them, media and fans alike - and at least they are made available to the media after an important day's play.
But when a big story broke in women's cricket at Hove
yesterday the star of the show, 15-year-old debutante
Holly Colvin who took three wickets, was banned from
talking to the media. The official reason given was
that she would be "too tired" after a long day in the
field. Where is the sense in this? For once the poor little
sister, women's cricket, had the chance to shine
proudly alongside her big brother, but Cinderella was
kept away from the ball.
All sports compete for press coverage, and football is
usually the winner. But the men's game in the
ascendancy with Ashes fever sweeping the nation -
that match even knocked football off the back
pages and planted cricket on the front. So interested
has the country been in cricket's revival that most of
the broadsheets sent a journalist to Hove yesterday to
give women's cricket some valuable exposure. The
Times even went so far as to plant Colvin on the
front of the paper - what great exposure - but their journalist, Sarah Potter, had to make do with quotes from England's head coach and Holly's mum.

|

Packing them in at Hove
© Cricinfo
|
|
To date, the ECB have been doing a fine PR job: this
series was launched on the London Eye, and there were
plenty of tv crew at the ground. The media interest
reflects the increasingly professional nature of the
women's game, boosted greatly by the ECB's involvement
since its merger with the WCA. The Tests at Hove and
Worcester are npower-sponsored, Sky are covering some
of the one-dayers and the women are technically more
correct, and better athletes than ever, thanks to
personalised coaching.
But it is clear that much still needs to be done to
promote the game. The only poster in the entirety of
Hove which advertises the match is tucked away within
the ground, but the real error was in keeping Colvin
away from an interested media.