A memorable day for county cricket
Sadly I could not be present to see Middlesex win their first Championship tittle for 23 years but I followed it avidly on the radio. There will be some criticism of a contrived declaration particularly from the west country. Two points here. The contrived declaration where the two captains cut a deal has long been a feature of the final day and Somerset have to accept criticism too for their pitches. The morning and early afternoon play yesterday was a bit baffling. Middlesex batted slowly fearful of losing too many wickets before the new ball. The two captains, Gale and Franklin, clearly then negotiated a deal and the two Yorkshire opening batsmen and were duly summoned to sling mud pies . Oddly enough two wickets fell but Middlesex declared at 359 setting Yorkshire 240 to win their third consecutive championship. Thanks to a hat trick by Toby Roland Jones they failed so to do and the Championship returned to North London.
Going into the final session of the last day of the Championship three counties – Middlesex, Somerset and Yorkshire – could have won it. How dramatic is that? Just when momentum was gaining for the white ball game with two T20 competitions , the red ball game at county level has a terrific fillip. As one commentator put in on a debate on radio 5 on the Championship in the interval “Cricket has to decide whether it wants to make money or cricketers”. With England three batsmen light the selectors must look to the counties’ young talent like Sam Billings and Bell-Drummond at Kent, Ben Duckett at Northants, Tim Curran at Surrey, Hameed at Lancashire and they can only forge their batting skills with the red ball. Besides who is to say in era of capricious support of sports T20 will remain pre-eminent? I do believe that the attractions of county cricket that often produces – as yesterday – as exciting a finish as any white ball game can attract a new and greater audience. A good friend of mine, a Arsenal fanatic, is a Lords debenture holder texted me that he too had followed the day.
Middlesex have gone 23 years without a trophy and there were murmurings of discontent. As another friend of mine who is associated for the club for over 50 years put it “We are the Arsenal or Tottenham and their fans would not tolerate 23 years without a trophy”. Middlesex were unbeaten all season, could not prepare pitches as this is the MCC’ s prerogative for results and are worthy champions. Of course it would be naive to say all is now well with county cricket. Yorkshire,£20m in debt, had to sell off their memorabilia. Whilst at the other end Derbyshire – bottom of division 2 – are a basket case. Nor is anything helped by the endless tinkering with the format. This year it’s two down and one up, next season two up, two down. I remain unc0nvinced that the pursuit of moolah will benefit cricketers who complain of burn out without a second t20 nor supporters. If you look at football the influx of SKY money did not reduce admission prices went mainly to agents and players who beeame alienated from and indifferent to supporters. Less tinkering , more preservation of core values please.
