Cricket.
 

Any thoughts on the forthcoming Lancashire League season? I like local cricket but sadly it is on the decline. One change I would make straight away is to reduce games to at most 40 overs. Because of 3 main reasons really; 1, We have not got the weather, so limiting overs will give more chance of a result. 2, not all fans of cricket want to be staying until 8pm and after in some cases to see a result. 3, The players some weekends play Saturday and Sunday which takes up all the weekend, then train two days a week on top. How do they spend time with their partners/families? Maybe have a 40 over League on Saturdays and a 30/35 over League on Sundays? Thoughts please :) Also it annoys me when a player gets 50 and they do a collection, then if he gets to 100 they come round and do another collection for the same player! Then the pro usually gets 50 so that's another collection, then he'll probably take 5 or more wickets so guess what? Yes that's another collection.......................................: mad:

Re: Cricket.
 

You never have been forced to donate to these collections, Myself would never contribute to a collection for a pro, they get paid already. I am a Cricket fan and played quite a lot in my younger days, playing double headers as always been part and parcel of the game as has practising, think its called dedication and in my day the games weren't a number of overs, but there was a 7pm finishing time for all games

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Hi again, I agree that donating to the collections is not compulsory but still annoying when they come round 6/8 times sometimes in a match if both teams bat/bowl well. I love the double headers but surely some players are put off the game by playing cricket morning till night all weekend? I can't believe that no players actually quit local cricket because a, it takes up all weekend b, there don't see their kids after they've been at work all week and c, their wives/partners must get utterly cheesed off. Plus I would much rather go to a shortened match that actually got finished than the constant no results we seem to get in the Lancashire League. I'm not a doom n gloom person at all, but something needs to be done as a lot of people are quickly losing interest. I say keep the double headers in a shortened format, maybe 30 over league on a sat and a 40 over league on a sunday which adheres more to our inclement weather and doesnt tie the players up all weekend? What do you think?

Re: Cricket.
 

well firstly i personally like the 50 over game format even if it takes till 8pm (which very rarely happens usually done for 6-7 oclock ) The entrance fee was £4 last season which to me is excellent value for money given that you usually have 5-6 hours of entertainment, so i dont mind the added expense of collections, i usually put 50 pence in each collection which would on average equate to a pint of lager bought in the clubhouse, considering most people bring thier own drink i think its very fair

Re: Cricket.
 

Dont mind the collections, unless fer the Pros, agree 50 overs can be a bit long, have had to leave early not knowing the result, think 40 would be better.

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I think 40 is a lot better, when a possible 12pts can be earned in a game a for a no result you only get a mere 3pts they should be avoided at all costs. I love the 50 over game but over a season it is just not that favourable with our climate. While some games finish at 7, from a players point of view that's fine except then they have to get changed then get home etc, so if your the away team it does get quite late. I agree also with £4 to get in, if it goes to help the club I'm all for it and I would still be prepared to pay £4 for a reduced overs match. I love local cricket but attendences at most clubs show that something is not quite right IMO. And unfortunately the biggest stumbling block is out of everybodys hands..................The Weather. 50 overs, lots of collections etc etc is good for the old school cricket purists, but at a lot of clubs they are becoming few and far between. A lot of purists at all levels of the game don't like 20/20 cricket but at the end of the day it does an important job which is get people through the gates and cash into our clubs. Anyway here's hoping for a sun drenched Lancashire League season.

Re: Cricket.
 

I'm not a 20/20 fan, although it does get a few more down to the grounds on a Friday night, which is when there played in Lancashire League. I take the point about 40 overs instead of 50 overs. But I personally prefer 50 overs. You are more likely to get a better game of cricket in my view.

Re: Cricket.
 

I think it was better before the introduction of overs Bernard, there was some kind of unwritten rule saying the side batting first finished their inings at 4-30pm in 2pm start, games never went on much after 7pm with a final cut off of 7-30pm

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I agree that 50 is better than 40 in an ideal world, just not in this country and especially the north west lol. Ashortened finished game must be better than a longer unfinished one?

Re: Cricket.
 

would be a miles better game if there were restrictions on number of overs per bowler, as in a 'normal' 50 over game ...plus fielding restrictions and power plays . i.e.
just like a one day international. more interest for players and spectators and a test of captaincy.
the days of the 'great' pro. are long gone and the League needs to be proactive in making the game interesting and attractive .

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Oh come they've struggle with the Duckworth Lewis scoring at this level:D

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I don't disagree with that. You've got to have 5 bowlers in the Worsley Cup, and it works alright in that. The problem is, that if a club signs a predominately bowling pro ,they will not wan't him restricted to bowling just 10 overs.

Re: Cricket.
 

Hi Bernard. IMO it means that the clubs have to tailor there signings to the regulations .
My idea is to give local players a better chance to be in the game .
It would definitely be a better game to watch and , selfishly, to play in .
Big gates are a thing of the past and we have have an obligation to help young players reach a higher level.

Re: Cricket.
 

I agree with what you are saying. The Worsley Cup format works well,and the fact that you cant just stick the Pro on at one end for 25 overs means captains have to give it a lot more thought.And as you rightly say it also helps younger players.

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What do you know about cricket Selwyn?:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:;)

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All matches to be played to Worsley Cup rules would make the for a more interesting game. It would also test a captain's tacticle (sic) skills rather than having one bowler bowling unchanged, throughout the innings.

At Accrington CC, the local legend that is David Ormerod, could well be bowling 20 overs a game, provided his newly aquired bionic knees hold out. It is good for the short term gain of Accy, during each particular game, but it doesn't help the development of other players, like Simon Hanson, who last season turned in some useful performances with the ball in the cup games.

Re: Cricket.
 

Just a question, if all matches were to be played under worsley cup rules, whilst it may be ok short term, would it not hinder progress of exceptional young lads, regarding progress to county level?:confused:

Re: Cricket.
 

I doubt it, Cashy. The Lancashire Cricket Board (LCB) have their network of scouts watching the juniors from a young age. By the time they're 18 the majority of young players have appeared on the County radars.

If we are talking about young bowlers, there are very strict restrictions regarding the number of overs they are permitted to bowl in a match, and further restrictions controlling how many consecutive overs they are allowed to bowl. If you want to know the figures, I'll have to consult Moses.

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ok cheers sparks.;)

Re: Cricket.
 

Having seen more tha a few (ahem) 50 overs LL cricket matches in my time I am well used to the tried and tested format, and to my knowledge very,very few matches go up to or past the 8pm mark. I agree that the 40/40 game is more crowd friendly, but the sad fact remains that cricket at an amateur level and in the Lancashire League is just not "sexy" or dynamic enough ! Getting anything changed with regards to rules and regs is like bashing your head against a wall as the league exec are pretty much all octagenarians or older and all averse to any kind of change or progress. I would like to see the 40/40 format with powerplays and coloured kits and all the excitement that comes with it, even bowling restrictions!
As far as Accy are concerned, the Dibber has his next op very shortly and will be back to make batsmens lives a misery this season, although given that our new captain is committed to only bowling each bowler for 10 overs a piece it could be an interesting season ( or a very long one depending on how that plan works...)
A bigger concern to me is the fact that clubs are jumping on the "paid coach" approach and in effect having an extra pro under the guise of coach, not exactly fair and the league seem powerless ( or uninterested ) in putting a stop to this. ( Though certain clubs have been surreptitiously paying players for years and got away with it:rolleyes:)
Well, here's hoping it all pans out, that we get a decent summer, and good luck to our boys against SA tomorrow, they will need if Anderson carries on the way he is and they all field a la Keystone Cops!

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I think I agree with you Lindsay. Are we going to win the league again next year. A bit boring not winning owt last year.

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I'd like to think we are in with a shout Bernard, but a lot of our 1st XI aren't getting any younger and although we have some good, upcoming talent, most of them aren't ready for the firsts yet. I can't imagine us getting many more seasons out of GDL and Dave O and Clarkey won't last forever, neither will Matt Wilson, they will be big, big holes to fill. Let's hope they can make this a memorable one and maybe retire on a high?
Shout out for the promising youngsters though, we have bags of talent there coming up, Bryn Hargreaves, Matt Schofield,Sam Tattersall,Jake Clarke, Jonny Hayhurstand the likes of Branks and Donners. It's not all doom and gloom by a long way!

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Give me 50 overs cricket and I'm happy; more time for libations.:D

Twenty/20 cricket is great on a Friday evening during the summer at a local level, at £2 a throw. At county level, it is not value for money once the travelling time & fares, not forgetting ever increasing entry costs to Old Trafford, are taken into consideration.

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You're right Lindsay, some good young lads coming through. If the Pro turns out to be half decent, then we might just be in for a good season.

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That's what puts me off Twenty/20 cricket at Old Trafford. It's a lot of money to fork out for 40 overs of cricket. As you say £2 up Acc on a Friday night, weather permitting of course is about right

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I prefer 50 overs but it's not putting bums on seats and as our knowledgeable friend from Water Street (:rolleyes:) says , we need to attract people back, and we no longer have the draw of a Viv Richards/Roger Harper/Shane Warne , I would welcome any change that pulls the people in, the problem is the League don't do change!

Re: Cricket.
 

I actually don't think you can turn the clock back Lindsay, the top line pros would cost an arm and a leg these days and are more likely to sign short term contracts with country sides. The other side is that this day and age kids aren't encouraged to play games any more, when I was growing up you played football and cricket in the back streets, never seems to happen now, kids are more likely to stay in doors playing computer games. Again when I was a youngster I used to go every week with my parents (ya both of them) to watch Church, which was like most LL grounds full to the brim with like minded people, just don't happen today sadly

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rumbled!

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the frustration for most clubs is that there are so many youngsters coming to practice nights , and there are no facilities . At Acc it would be fantastic to have permanent nets (all weather) , but , this, of course, costs shackles . Cricket clubs are great for the community and for teaching young people values . Catch em young , make it fun and in time, the league would be much stronger.
I dream on , but if all works out in the future , we could have a facility to be proud of .....

Re: Cricket.
 

Just a question do they still have the indoor nets at Peel Park School, can remember going up there back in the good old days getting ready for the new season

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You and me both, fingers and everything else crossed!:mosher:

Jaysay, ACC use the facilities at Accrington Academy for indoor nets.

Re: Cricket.
 

Talking about collections... there is one chap at Accy CC who always develops a severe incontinence problem & disappears to the bogs when the collection box does the rounds.

Rumour has it that he keeps a mouse trap ready set, in his pocket, to act as a grim reminder should his digits stray towards the cash. :D

Re: Cricket.
 

Warne came at roughly 21 years of age. He hadn't made his Australia debut. So you can't really place him with Viv Richards. He is exactly the same as the like of Nash, Hauritz, Rudolph, Simmons (Whom Enfield nearly signed this season). Amatuer wise look at Anderson now playing for England. The likes of Barker at Warickshire.

This season is sure to be exciting doubt be knocking your local rivals your Accrington fans ;)

Re: Cricket.
 

I think it must be the same chap who does exactly the same when its his round at the bar too:D