Club finances face perilous months ahead, pitches face losing their residents, and one of the more fiscally demanding sports faces losing its most vital stewards in the form of its recreational following. So how can we alleviate these pressing anxieties?

With difficulty, yes, and while recreational participation is dwindling, there are too many good souls to let the game falter. Merely preventing catastrophe will not suffice, though, and many club administrators deserve credit for their creativity and commitment to ensuring cricket returned to the greens in the summer.

Leveraging the success of some clubs in the virus-stricken year, recreational cricket must embrace the truth that unmissable opportunities exist to grow the game.

Notwithstanding our deep hope for an effective vaccine to become available, the winter months pose a bleak sporting outlook.

Despite the unpredictability ahead, summer, though, offers an opportunity for cricket to take advantage of the societal hunger for recreational sport.

The group of mates who have missed out on months of Sunday morning football; the group of hockey friends desperate to strike a moving ball again; the numerous children seeking extra-curricular social interaction in the midst of wider societal restrictions. In our capitalist world that seldom deviates from neoliberal ideals, it is fair to say that ‘the market is there’, and cricket possesses a unique chance to grow and unify a sporting community.

The ECB have been open about their desire to attract a new audience to the game through The Hundred, and with this strategy yet to succeed, recreational cricket must do the work itself. Following 62 job cuts within the ECB described by the governing body’s chairman as ‘inevitable’, the club game must, for its own sake, seize the initiative; it cannot rely on a governing body in economic strife. Infiltration of school sport programmes, the formation of partnerships with other sports clubs, digital advertising; now more than ever clubs must innovate in order to survive and grow.

Enticing new members is important, of course. Equally vital is the financial stability of clubs. Stories of a sole person bankrolling amateur sports clubs are aplenty, and a reliance on singular revenue streams is purely unsustainable. One struggling business need not be the economic ruin of a cricket club. Although such clubs are likely to retain a fiscal advantage over their local counterparts for now, the need for innovation to diversify club revenue is becoming increasingly apparent. Otherwise, the pot will eventually run empty.

Administrators must also acknowledge that club sponsorship possibilities are changing; the economic decimation of some industries has been the birth of others. While clubs cannot necessarily rely on financial assistance from struggling small businesses, there remains the chance for members to rally in their support and demonstrate the community spirit that cricket prides itself on harnessing.

Online fundraising, take-away services, multi-purposing of club facilities and virtual events; there are many streams that clubs in need can pursue. For our game to survive as we know it, we need considered, logical leaders to execute pragmatic strategies.

When the dark winter months give way to light, spring and cricket, we may, hopefully, return to much of what we lost, with new learnings to support our game in need.

(Pic credit: kentcricket.co.uk)

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Like most sports of British origin, cricket has a shameful past that has been characterised by exclusionary behaviour. From discriminating on grounds of social class, gender, and race, cricket has long reflected the middle-class white man. Aside the rise to power of Indian administrators, this has remained largely constant.

It is impossible to ignore the inequality that persists in cricket. While incidents of overt racism have been, until recently, rarely spoken of in cricket, many have suffered in silence. This week, ex-England international, Michael Carberry, spoke of the racism he experienced throughout his career, and also suggested that many incidents go undetected because victims are scared of losing their place in the team, or even their career.

Michael Carberry: ‘Black people are not important to the structure of English cricket’. (c) Getty

The argument that cricket is free of racism is simply false – Carberry’s recollections prove as much. One only has to look to England’s recent tour of New Zealand to recall the racial abuse received by Jofra Archer at the Bay Oval. Moeen Ali has also spoken out about being referred to as ‘Osama’ during the 2015 Ashes. Though these incidents lend the blame overseas, the UK has its own sinister issues to face.

Take England’s Men’s ICC World Cup victory in 2019. It was rightly labelled a triumph of diversity and a demonstration that multiculturalism is to be embraced. Unfortunately, England’s senior sides do not reflect the issues faced at lower levels of cricket.

Upon closer inspection, further down the playing pyramid there remains significant underrepresentation of ethnic minorities. Black county cricketers are few and far between and, despite accounting for 30% of recreational cricketers in the UK, the South Asian population make up just 4% of professionals.

Monty Panesar during an Urban Cricket Roadshow in Luton. (c) PA

The problem is not that simple, though. BAME role models are vital, but in English cricket they do not always represent what they are trying to encourage. Recently, ESPN Cricinfo’s George Dobell suggested there may only be one state-educated black county cricketer at present. Jofra Archer, for example, has not come through the English pathway system, and others, such as Chris Jordan and Daniel Bell-Drummond were privately educated. That is nothing against them, but it shows that the problem is deeper than just race; it encompasses geographic and socioeconomic inequalities, too.

Similar issues exist in coaching and administration. BAME individuals are again under-represented among professional coaching set-ups and board tables. Equally, there must be acknowledgement that effective change cannot happen instantaneously and, for meritocracy to transpire, we must stay patient. Though current racial disparities are undoubtedly unjust, a path to transparent meritocracy rather than racial tokenism is the only way cricket can racially transform for the better.

The ECB took positive steps towards this in 2018 by announcing the implementation of the Rooney Rule for all coaching positions, and more recently have extended this to include coaching positions for first-class counties. The ECB have also shown leadership in condemning racist incidents, and have demonstrated commitment to producing a more racially inclusive cricket community through their South Asian Action Plan, which launched in 2018.

Some BAME professionals are also playing a vital role in making cricket more inclusive. Daniel Bell-Drummond, for example, began the Platform Cricket initiative, which aims to take cricket into inner-city London and to schools which may otherwise have been cricket-less. Such initiatives, the likes of which we need more, are integral to ensuring cricket is accessible to everyone in the UK, regardless of race and geographical location.

The success of Platform Cricket has highlighted the lack of talent pathways in and around cities; cricket talent-spotting remains based on the success of the private schools. Similar conclusions were drawn by Surrey’s Director of Women’s Cricket, Ebony Rainford-Brent, who formulated the ACE (Afro-Caribbean Engagement) programme which seeks to ensure Surrey’s academy is more representative of its immediate local community. Clearly, work is in progress to ensure the cricketing community is more inclusive, but there is so much more to be done.

Public discussion about racial inequality is showing no signs of faltering, and with the media spotlight now flickering between coronavirus and racial issues, we now have an unmissable opportunity to implement social change in society and in cricket.

A better, more inclusive future awaits if we can recognise injustice and alleviate the barriers that produce it. Sadly though, for now, true and unequivocal racial parity remains a somewhat distant dream.

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Now with merchandise, tour packages, England tickets, a podcast, pages of songs and tiered membership options, The Barmy Army is a commercial entity that, to its credit, has retained its principle aim of uniting England cricket fans.

After selling 100 t-shirts during the inaugural tour to Australia, they soon followed up with an order in excess of 3000. The Barmy Army was born. Given their title due to their apparent delusion at backing a lackluster England side that were well beaten 3-1 by their Australian counterparts, The Barmy Army has followed English cricket around the globe ever since.

While tours to Australia, South Africa, and the Caribbean remain the best-attended series, an unwavering loyalty to the England team and passion for travel has seen The Barmy Army remain vocal, bellowing the lyrics to Jerusalem and singing along to the tunes of the recently-retired Billy Cooper’s skilled trumpeting, even during the more grueling trips.

Over the last two and half decades, ‘The Army’ have spurred the England team on; during the most recent test match in Cape Town, SuperSport commentator, Pommie Mbangwa, suggested it was like England were playing at home. The stands were full of English support and, rightly, England’s travelling support was complimented by the media and received widespread thanks from the players. However, the wider issue of international test cricket support remains often overlooked. The size of England’s supporting contingent remains admirable, though for the sake of test cricket’s longevity, the cricketing community can ill afford to neglect diminishing test match attendances across the globe.

So, it can be concluded that The Barmy Army are supporting a cause in need and are a force for cricketing good. It is largely agreeable: the organisation is the source of many friendships and, in their own words, they ‘embrace every age, budget and background’, all while fulfilling the metaphorical twelfth man role for England.

That is not to suggest that The Barmy Army is perfect, though; some Australians, for example, may suggest things went too far during their 2019 tour for the ICC Men’s World Cup and The Ashes. While seemingly unmalicious, The Barmy Army have long jested about their opponents’ failures. Few can forget the tirade of sledging that Mitchell Johnson received years ago. Such examples though, hence their memorability, are uncommon; the majority of Barmy Army noise within a cricket ground is encouraging, uplifting and supportive of the England team, rather than directed at opponents.

The positivity of ‘The Army’ is felt globally, and their lesser known charitable exploits also deserve significant praise; since their founding, a plethora of charities and communities have been beneficiaries of The Barmy Army’s generosity. Most recently, the tour to South Africa saw them raise money for nature conservation projects and Soweto Cricket Club, the latter of which played a friendly fixture against The Barmy Army in 1996 and received a donation from Barmy Army t-shirt sales. The complete list of charitable beneficiaries over their 25-year existence, however, is extensive and global, and thus a credit to the organisation.

Though some consider The Barmy Army a club of noisy rabble, often such individuals are unaware of the reputable nature of the organisation that they are criticising. Now operating on two fronts (The Barmy Army and Barmy Travel), the group continue to cater for increasing tourist demands, offering a growing number of people the opportunity to watch England’s cricketers, all while maintaining a caring and considerate attitude towards host nations when abroad.

After 25 years of touring, The Barmy Army is showing no sign of slowing down, even if its membership is ever-evolving. A globally recognized fanbase within the cricketing community, they are an organisation that English cricket can be proud to have represent them.

To find out more about The Barmy Army, visit www.barmyarmy.com

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It has truly been the most remarkable year for Stokes who, in just two years, has risen from the ashes of public scrutiny to become a glorified national hero. Having sent England victorious in the World Cup and performed an Ashes miracle, he now sits among English sporting royalty. It was, simply, the summer of a lifetime for Stokes.

His outstanding year was action-packed and saw him reach new heights. That catch against South Africa in the World Cup, that innings in the World Cup final and that miraculous Ashes century at Headingley. Where to start?

He is labeled the ultimate competitor, the model team man who is unwaveringly selfless, and the man that makes things happen. It can come as no surprise that a recipient of these compliments is adored by the public and has been transformed him from a cricketer to a sporting star and public figure who transcended his sport.

(c) Evening Standard

His masterpieces were unmissable. The World Cup final, the finest stage of all, was made for Stokes. Scoring 84 not out under the most intense pressure, England’s talisman got his team to the super over, in which he scored a further eight from three balls. While Jofra Archer, Jason Roy, and Jos Buttler combined to send England’s cricketing family into jubilant celebrations, the players’ ascent to cricketing immortality was possible only due to Stokes’ terrific innings. The World Cup winners claimed two awards at the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year 2019, with Roy, Stokes and Eoin Morgan taking to the stage to collect the trophy for ‘Team of the Year’ and ‘Moment of the Year’, the latter of which was awarded for the run out in the super over that gave England World Cup glory.

Following the World Cup win, England struggled to exert dominance over the Australians in the ensuing Ashes series. 1-0 down and having being bowled out for 67 in the third test, another Ashes failure seemed likely. Yet Stokes manufactured what Wisden recently named the best test innings of the decade in a remarkable 76-run partnership with last man Jack Leach, sealing the most unlikely of test wins, keeping England in the series.

Scoring 135 not out, including eight sixes, he controlled the strike in a daring performance. Initially, Stokes produced a defensive display of the like we have never seen from him before. The following afternoon he sent the star-studded Australian bowling attack to all parts of Headingley in a brutal display of power hitting full of skill. No other player could have transitioned from such a defensive mindset to produce such clean hitting, epitomized by the switch-hit off Nathan Lyon for six over point.

(c) BBC.co.uk

Just over two years ago the Bristol nightclub brawl took place which left Stokes banned by the ECB and put before a court. Undeniably, his disciplinary record was once blemished but, following his acquittal, a revitalised Stokes emerged, disciplined on and off the pitch.

And, in fairness, he ought not to be blamed for some of the adversity he has encountered. In the midst of his sublime summer, The Sun revealed deeply personal details of his family history, resulting in Stokes embarking on legal action against the paper.

Given the adversity he has overcome, you would be forgiven for labeling his comeback from the Bristol incident as redemptive, but it goes much, much further than that. Stokes was considered redeemed long ago. His recent accolades place him on a cricketing pedestal high above his contemporaries; having won the Player of the Match award in the World Cup final, the Player of the Series in the Ashes and the Players’ Player of the Season at the PCA Awards and now the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Stokes has far surpassed redemption.

The cricketer, the person that Stokes has become is the product of a remarkable journey. The long-forgotten lows have been replaced with exhibits of sporting brilliance from a man who is an inspiration to so many, young and old, across the globe.

This was the year cricket returned to the front pages for the right reasons, the year of World Cup success and another year of Ashes magic. Blazed with glory, brimful with passion, revered by many, the cricketing summer of 2019 became defined by Stokes’ character.

It may have been a successful year for English cricket, but we have Ben Stokes to thank, a champion who now deservedly has his reputation forever enshrined in sporting history.

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Then 63 not out, Hughes was batting for South Australia against his former State, New South Wales. It was a game of immense significance to Hughes, even before any such accident took place. A batting spot was vacant in the Australian test side, with Hughes certainly ‘a name in the hat’.

Batting fluently against a New South Wales side at the Sydney Cricket Ground featuring several Australian regulars, Hughes had done his chances of a test return no harm. With 26 tests and three centuries already to his name, he was no rookie; rather, a maturing professional ready to return to international cricket.

He arrived on the international stage in 2009 aged just 20. During his debut tour against South Africa, he became the youngest Australian test centurion in 43 years and, remarkably, he reached this feat with consecutive sixes. His record-breaking start was not complete though, as he became the youngest player to ever score a century in each innings of a test match.

Hughes was undeniably a popular character, who made a name for himself across the globe, despite being out of the Australian squad at the time of his passing. In his native Australia, Hughes played domestic cricket for New South Wales and South Australia, while featuring for Adelaide Strikers in the Big Bash.

On the other side of the world, Hughes was somewhat of a county journeyman by the tender age of 23, having represented Middlesex, Worcestershire, and Hampshire, embracing the pressure of being the overseas professional.

And while it would be easy to eulogise Hughes largely based on his cricketing past, Hughes the person must never be forgotten. The outpouring of public emotion following his death in November 2014 was testament to his personality which shone through in each elegiac post from anyone who knew him. The social media campaign Put Out Your Bats’ was a public show of love and mourning that gained support from far and wide. The global cricketing community had lost a son. There was more to the man than just cricket, though. He was a keen farmer away from the sport and a family man who remembered his roots in the village of Macksville.

But just like that, he was gone. The blow that Hughes received beneath his helmet caused a rare vertebral artery dissection that, despite surgery, could not be overcome and resulted in a ‘massive bleed on the brain’ in the words of Team Doctor, Peter Brukner.

Brukner also reported that such was Hughes’ misfortune, there have only been 100 recorded cases of the condition that took his life. Misfortune seemed to strike the right tone. One slight misjudgment of a ball and Hughes was fighting for his life; one well-directed bouncer from Sean Abbott and he innocently found himself in an unimaginable position that goes beyond comprehension having delivered the final ball of Hughes’ life.

Abbott took an immediate break from the game, but he returned to training soon after and went on to make international debuts in t20 and 50-over cricket after success in the shorter forms of the game. After falling out of selectorial favour for some time, Abbott made a return to the national team earlier this November. While the sadness of Hughes’ death is unforgettable, the impact it would have had on Abbott must also be remembered; he suffered, too. Presented with a crisis, Abbott acted admirably, with courage and supreme resilience.

Such strength was also demonstrated by Hughes’ team-mates at the time of his passing. A softer side to then test captain, Michael Clarke, became visible and gained international acclaim. He was rightly credited for the way he dealt with such tragic circumstances.

Clarke, a close friend of Hughes, delivered a linguistically beautiful eulogy, fighting back the tears, before going on to lead Australia to victory against India in their first test match since Hughes’ passing. Sensible administration saw the dates of the test pushed back. It is fair to say the ordeal changed the public perception of Clarke who, just the year previous had made the headlines for warning James Anderson to ‘get ready for a broken… arm’ in the Ashes. He, David Warner and Steve Smith all made first innings centuries against India, with Warner also scoring one in the second innings. Dry eyes were few and far between. Their celebrations were for one man, their absent teammate, their ‘little brother’.

Fast forward five years, and there is a certainly greater concern whenever a batter receives a blow to the head. Improved helmet provisions are in place across the globe, with the wearing of helmets becoming increasingly mandatory rather than merely suggestive. And while the tragic accident of Hughes’ passing cannot be undone, player safety is becoming increasingly important, most notably in the recent addition of concussion substitutes. Cricket Australia’s review into the incident, though, concluded that the now widely worn stem guards on the back of helmets would not necessarily have mitigated Hughes’ fate.

But Hughes’ innings had come to an end. He was poised for greatness both in life and on the cricket field. His final 63 not out offered a deeper meaning than just a score. It epitomised his life: he was a man who had made great strides, put himself in an enviable position, and was poised for bigger and better things.

A man who touched hearts across the globe and entertained millions through their televisions with his batting. The lives of those close to him would never be the same, and it’s true to say that cricket, too, has changed forever.

Phillip Hughes Remembered

1988-2014

Photography– Getty Images

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One Hundred Balls? It’s normal cricket, but…

• Each innings lasts a maximum of 100 balls
• The powerplay takes place in the first 25 balls of each innings, during which only two fielders can be outside the 30-yard fielding circle before each ball is bowled
• The bowling changes ends after 10 balls. Essentially, the 100 balls are split into 20 overs of five balls, but a bowler can bowl 10 consecutive deliveries.
• A bowler can bowl up to 20 balls in an innings
• Teams will have a chance to re-group during each innings with a strategic time-out, which is called by the fielding team

The Teams

The franchise names are: Birmingham Phoenix, London Spirit, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, Oval Invincibles, Southern Brave, Trent Rockets and Welsh Fire.

The ECB’s desire to reach out beyond the average county supporter is strikingly clear, purely in the franchise names. Of the eight franchises, no county is embedded in any team name, and three franchise names feature the city in which they are based. This follows the commercial decision made by Warwickshire in late 2013 to re-brand their t20 team as the ‘Birmingham Bears’. Speaking at the time, the then chief executive of Warwickshire C.C.C, Colin Povey, told the BBC that the change was an attempt to ‘get more people through the gates and attract a new audience’. That is exactly what the ECB are now trying to achieve with The Hundred.

Squads are set to total 15 players, of which three may be overseas players. With modern-day greats including Steve Smith, AB De Villiers and Virat Kohli reportedly keen to play in the new tournament, we can expect star-studded sides taking shape by the close of business on 20^th October, when the player draft takes place. Sky Sports will broadcast the draft live, and will also televise the games, in conjunction with the BBC who are showing 10 men’s games and 8 women’s games.

The women’s teams are not part of the draft, though. Instead, they will have a ‘bespoke player selection process’ with an ‘open-market system’. During this process, teams may sign one further centrally contracted England player.

The men’s franchises can sign up to two players from each of the seven salary bands. Each team can also pick a wildcard from eight highly performing players in the Vitality Blast.

Salary Bands

MEN: £125,000, £100,000, £75,000, £60,000, £50,000, £40,000 and £30,000. Captains receive a £10,000 bonus, and the wildcard receives £30,000

WOMEN: £15,000, £12,000, £9,000, £7,200, £6,000, £4,800 and £3,600. Captains receive a £1,200 bonus.

Players can select a reserve price, but if that amount is not met, they are not selected by any team.

What’s the structure?

• Each team plays eight games
• In a round-robin style, every team will play each other once, with the exception of a designated local rival, who is played twice. For example, the London Spirit will face the Oval Invincibles twice, with each side hosting the fixture once
• The team who finishes top of the group stage progresses to the final
• The second and third-placed teams play a semi-final to determine the other finalist
• The winner of this semi-final will play the winner of the group stage in the final, which will take place on the same day as the semi-final

When is The Hundred?

The tournament kicks off in July 2020, with the hope that scheduling the fixtures in the summer holidays will encourage more of a family atmosphere. This model is similar to Australia’s Big Bash which attempts to get more families in the stands by hosting their flagship competition during the Christmas holidays.

Where?

To find out more, visit https://www.thehundred.com/

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Not for the first time in 2019, Ben Stokes took center stage. The all-rounder picked up the Reg Hayter Cup for the NatWest PCA Players’ Player of the Year. The award is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious a cricketer can receive in England. After Stokes’ astonishing summer, it came as no surprise that England’s fiery talisman took home the showpiece award, which was voted for by his international teammates and county professionals across the UK.

Jack Leach buys a painting for £8K of Ben Stokes’ at the PCA Awards.

It was the summer of a lifetime for Stokes, who produced two unforgettable innings this year which will both go down in the annals of cricketing history. After a game-changing 84 not out against New Zealand in the World Cup final, Stokes produced an unbeaten and match-winning 135 at Headingley against Australia including a memorable partnership with Jack Leach who, to the amusement of the Roundhouse, made a successful bid for a portrait of Stokes as part of the evening’s auction.

Simon Harmer, Dominic Sibley and Ryan Higgins were the additional nominees for the Reg Hayter Cup and, in any other season, each of the three could have received the award. But 2019 was no ordinary season.

Back-To-Back Awards for Ecclestone

The NatWest Women’s Player of the Summer was awarded to Sophie Ecclestone for the second consecutive year. Left-arm spinner, Ecclestone was England’s leading wicket-taker in the Ashes series this year and, being just 20 years old, a long and prosperous career awaits her.

Banton wins Young Player

Tom Banton was rewarded for a breakthrough year by being named PCA Young Player of the Year. Banton, who took home the John Arlott Cup, scored 549 runs in the Vitality Blast, at an average of 42 and a strike rate in excess of 162. These exploits have seen him selected in the England t20 squad that tours New Zealand this winter.

Ben Stokes, Tom Banton, and Sophie Ecclestone pick up the main awards at the 2019 NatWest PCA Awards

Broad, Woakes and Morgan receive recognition

The awards for the England men’s team were won by Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes. Broad was announced as Specsavers Test Player of the Summer having been England’s leading wicket-taker in the Ashes with 23 wickets. He was also credited with keeping the dangerous David Warner quiet with the bat throughout the series.

Woakes was named Royal London One Day International Player of the Summer after an excellent year opening the bowling in white-ball cricket, culminating in England’s World Cup win.

The captain of this triumph, Eoin Morgan, was also given a special award by the ECB.

Harmer, Mahmood and Short claim domestic prizes

In county cricket, Simon Harmer, Saqib Mahmood and D’Arcy Short took home the awards.

Harmer, who captained Essex to a County Championship and Vitality Blast t20 double, was also the leading wicket-taker in Division One of the four-day competition. Lancashire paceman, Mahmood, was the leading wicket-taker in the Royal London One Day Cup and has been rewarded with an England call up for both the Test and t20 tours of New Zealand. Australian, D’Arcy Short, was signed by Durham for their Vitality Blast campaign and in 12 innings he produced 483 runs at an impressive average of 43.9.

The Greene King Team of the Year was also announced as:

1. Billy Godleman (Derbyshire)
2. Dominic Sibley (Warwickshire)
3. Tom Banton (Somerset)
4. Wayne Madsen (Derbyshire)
5. Sam Hain (Warwickshire)
6. Ryan Higgins (Gloucestershire)
7. Dane Vilas – wicket-keeper (Lancashire)
8. Lewis Gregory (Somerset)
9. Simon Harmer – captain (Essex)
10. Kyle Abbott (Hampshire)
11. Ben Sanderson (Northamptonshire)

The Greene King Team of the Year

Ex-England players awarded

Former England international, Alex Wharf, was given the Harold Goldblatt Award for PCA Umpire of the Year, while Jonathon Trott was named Greene King PCA England Masters Player of the Year.

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