Time cricket - an alternative view

Following last weeks captains meeting, the Webmaster has been good enough to allow me to express my personal views, re 'time cricket'.

In my opinion there is absolutely no doubt that the vast majority of cricketers do not want time cricket - in my club, only one player out of the first and second XI squads has expressed any kind of enthusiasm for the format.

They do not enjoy playing it and, indeed, as June approaches I constantly hear 'not available for the one's next week Chairman'.

At a time when cricket needs more than ever for people to enjoy the game it seems ridiculous that the SPCL Committee is foisting this universally unpopular format upon the Clubs - already suffering from the ever increasing workload accreditation has brought!

The lowering of the standards - with many well known names not playing - will increase and we will soon end up with the Academy winning year after year as the Clubs suffering the double whammy of having to play a game they do not enjoy without their strongest team and the Academy taking all their best young players as they develop.

It is extremely difficult to replace resigning Committee members and - in my view - the Committee must realise how much damage they are doing to their Clubs.

Those that advocate the game cite the money - the accreditation and that we should all play 'proper cricket'.

Well, the money argument is fallacious as the increased expense - pitches, lunches etc, takes care of the few hundred quid available.

I would strongly suggest that the average recreational cricketer is not over concerned over accrediation as he prepares to get ready very early Saturday morning!

Apparently it has been stated that we are guilty of being 'ignorant' by not knowing how to play time cricket - well this Chairman would rather have an ignorant happy Club than the increasing shambles and discontent the League are creating.