Nicholas M: Eng should play triangular one-day series (27May94)

England should play triangular one-day series - By Mark Nicholas

Applause for the English selectors, who have had some stick of late but who got the squad for their one-day internationals spot-on. Youth, experience and the most dangerous limited-overs cricketers in the land. Sadly, no Neil Fairbrother, however, a ferret of a batsman, courtesy of that chronic hamstring, but the best of the rest. There were murmurs that one or two were not Test cricketers and, therefore, what was the point. Well, the point was to win the game, encourage full houses and re-establish the faith of the nation in our cricket team. Winning is a habit and one that Messrs Illingworth and Atherton should cling to. It is a pity that we are not playing three one-day internationals against both New Zealand and South Africa or, even better, competing in a triangular series of matches as they do in Australia. The coffers of English cricket are not so full as to ignore the probability of sell-outs and, therefore, a larger distribution of funds to the counties. It is, after all, the counties who plough the pound notes into the development of English Test players and then lose them for international occasions. The loss of the players is damaging to gate receipts and the performance of the county team. Though compensation is reasonable, it is still not adequate. The counties receive 75 per cent of the players's fees in return for their release. This figure has only recently risen 25 per cent for the 1994 season and is still short of the minimum requirement - 100 per cent. The players are given a basic fee and then rewarded a further sum pro rata for the length of time they have represented England. For example, Surrey received more for Alec Stewart's appearance in a Tetley shirt than for Graham Thorpe's. This is right and proper. But it is not the Surreys of this world who suffer; it is the small counties, because they do not have the big grounds on which to stage the grand occasions and therby make money from the spin-offs. Another couple of oneday internationals - it is surely more satisfactory to have a clear result from a three-match series - would produce a few bob more for the poor minnows. We must try to avoid the unfairness that exists in football, where the Southamptons and Sheffield Uniteds cannot possibly compete financially with the Blackburns and Manchester Uniteds of the game. It is money, of course, that has driven the TCCB to staging six Test matches against the West Indies next summer - a departure from the norm, unless Australia are here, and a further burden for counties because of the loss of Test players. It is also a slight for Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, who do not have a Test match in England in sight. England should lead the fostering of Test cricket around the globe for these young cricketing nations. The new season has brought cricket back to the licensed screen - no more scrambling for a Sky dish, I am relieved to say - and the tones of the game's finest commentator, Richie Benaud. Last year, I travelled back from a televised match with Richie and picked his brains for all that I was worth, first about cricket then about broadcasting. Though he did not retire from Test cricket until February 1964, he has worked in the media since 1950, first as a freelance general reporter and then for the Sun newspaper in Australia. In 1956, after Australia's tour of England, he took a three-week television course with the BBC, including a study of its internal machinery, from 11am until midnight. He moved back and forth from the producer's box to the seats in the audience, and in his typical, thorough way left no stone unturned in his quest for absolute, inside knowledge of his future profession. He idolised Henry Longhurst and Dan Maskell, from whom he doubtless learned not only the art and importance of a pause but also of silence. He believes you should only speak if you can add to the picture. He reveres Peter O'Sullevan, with whom he once spent a day at the races. He claims he learned a great deal - and he certainly has not forgotten it. He did radio work, sprinkled with the odd television appearance during the summer of 1960; captained his country against England on the tour of 1961 and returned the next year to work again for the BBC. He vividly recalls his first really exhilarating work on television which was, of course, the 1963 West Indies tour to England, a wonderful series which featured the world's most exciting players. He has enjoyed working with every one of his numerous fellow-broadcasters ever since, and he also enjoys watching the game. He is a part of the woodwork, a sign of summer and, since he did not begin commentating for Channel Nine in Austrlia until 1977, is as much ours as the Aussies (he may not take kindly to such a suggestion). Richie Benaud is the most mimicked man in sports broadcasting, not only by experts but by amateurs, too. More importantly, he is probably the most loved and respected of them. We hail him and his excellence - and hope the maestro will enjoy a fourth decade in the broadcasting box.

(Thanks : The Daily Telegraph)