Miscellaneous

TCCB_LOTTERY_REBUFF_07MAR1996

THIS week could hardly have been worse for English cricket finances, but the counties reacted with a dead bat yesterday, as though playing for the three points they will be introducing for a draw this summer

7 March 1996

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TCCB silent on Lottery rebuff

BY CHARLES RANDALL

THIS week could hardly have been worse for English cricket finances, but the counties reacted with a dead bat yesterday, as though playing for the three points they will be introducing for a draw this summer.

On Monday the Government announced that a `heritage list` of sport reserved for terrestrial television, including home Tests, would be inserted into the Broadcasting Bill, despite protests from the England authorities about eroded bargaining power.

Then came the multi-million pound punch in the solar plexus administered by the Sports Council, who "deferred" National Lottery funding indefinitely for four ground projects involving Hampshire, Surrey, Durham and the MCC.

Delay in forming the England Cricket Board was cited as the main cause for the non-appearance of Lottery money, but there was no sign yesterday that the ECB process will be speeded up or any indication when David Morgan`s working party would be making their recommendations.

Yet another working party was set up under Essex chairman David Acfield to review all aspects of England administration, selection and management.

The TCCB`s two-day meeting at Lord`s, which ended yesterday, decided to restrict leg-side fielders to five in all one-day competitions, to introduce three points for a draw in the championship this summer and to have Wednesday starts for the majority of games in 1997 and `98.

The TCCB face potentially serious problems on the Lottery, as cricket has fallen well down the money list of sports benefiting.

Derek Casey, the Sports Council chief executive, commented this week: "The lack of strategy gives us no clear indication about how additional money generated by increased spectator accommodation would be re- invested at the sport`s grass-roots level.

"The deferral of a decision means that we can step back from this issue, meet again with the cricket authorities and look at their overall plans for the sport."

Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)