League Inflexible Over World Cup

Wickman was passed the following communication this morning from the Surrey Championship.

Dear Club Representatives [That's Keith to you and me - Ed]

We have received a number of requests [loads probably - Ed] for matches to be allowed to start earlier on Saturday 12 June because of the England v USA football match being played in South Africa. [It's not just a match. It's the World Cup me old Chinas - Ed]

Members of the Executive have discussed this and the answer is that all matches must start at the official scheduled time [Booooooo - Ed]. We play standard hours and these must be adhered to. The main reason for this decision is that clubs starting their matches earlier could have an advantage over clubs starting at the scheduled time if there is bad weather later in the day.

Please ensure this message is passed onto all within your clubs who need to know this information.

Please note that action will be taken against any clubs that disregard this instruction.

Now Wickman can see the logic of this argument and Wickman likes nothing more than logic. However, that the executive committee has only JUST met to discuss this in response to enquiries from clubs looks at best myopic.

Traditionalists amongst you may well argue that this is after all a cricket league and big national events like a World Cup in another sport should not derail the playing of our game. Wickman is sympathetic to this argument.

But those of us who organise stuff in the real world appreciate that sometimes you have to plan ahead. Anyone knowing this was a World Cup year should have been able to plan this into the schedule over the Winter. Being inflexible now is a shame, being inflexible (or myopic) in advance is something else.

During the last WC Wickman donned the gloves against Merstham in a 1s game. It was done and dusted by 5pm. This was because the oppo were three short on the day as their boys didn't want to miss whatever game was on that afternoon. They won the toss and batted (the decent thing in the conditions - set small total rather than run around all day in the baking heat trying to prevent a boundary fest). Here's the scorecard.

It's tougher, obviously, on the side travelling. Wickman hopes sincerely that this lack of foresight doesn't create an average weekend of cricket where playing numbers are not so depleted that the games are rendered almost meaningless and the quality of cricket for those that put club before country is not poorer as a result. While Wickman remembers this game with some fondness for a juggling catch off Zam and some, for once, effective Matrix skills off Coley, it was a lame duck. Although Hibby will be pleased with 61... Good luck to all the clubs in this position this weekend.

The Wick will put out three strong but largely pissed off sides this weekend as we have good spirit in the club and the atmosphere at HQ with our World Cup themed evening will still be excellent. Eventually. But with a 12pm start the revenue raising opportunity would have been bigger and better (let's face it, no club can chuck away income at the moment) and there was an opportunity there to make things easier for the amateur cricketers who play week in week out. This one looks like a free hit missed by the League.