The Telegraph’s recent article by Chief Sports reporter Jeremy Wilson with the headline: ‘Grass-roots sports clubs are dying out’ has got me hot under the collar. I am particularly twitchy as it’s another national newspaper making depressing, sweeping statements about the state of recreational sport. The sub-heading states: ‘With life habits changing and the effects […]
Opinion
Team selection at cricket clubs: The ultimate Rubik’s Cube
Cricket team selection has been on my radar to write about for ages. So many angles. It can be pretty controversial and I’ve worn the various hats as peripheral cricketer to captain with the nuances and pressures that come with both. If we take it as given that everyone wants to play, how do cricket […]
Why cricket clubs might need a new lease of life
One of the trending topics on my travels this year for Cricket Yorkshire has been land ownership and the restrictions imposed on cricket clubs. In this article with Howden, our insurance partner, we’ll look at some of the issues relating to leases that may affect clubs, as well as their insurance. (This is a general […]
Darfield reset: A warning shot for other clubs?
If I got a pound for every time someone told me “bang average” cricketers were expecting to be paid handsomely then, ironically, I could earn a fortune myself. Darfield Cricket Club of the Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League (YCSPL) are the latest club to assess their squad strength and future direction. Their first team have […]
Glasshouses pull out of the Nidderdale League
In news that saddened me, I learnt that Glasshouses Cricket Club had withdrawn from the Theakston Nidderdale Cricket League – due to a lack of players. Importantly, the cricket club will not fold but for now, it has no players and no fixtures. Mothballed if you will but with future plans that we’ll come to. […]
New ECB safety regulations cause concern at grassroots
The news of updated ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations does not, at first glance, sound particularly riveting – but it is causing a stir. The Regulations replace previous versions and cover those cricketers aged Under 19 in relation to Fast Bowling, Fielding Distances, Eligibility of Junior Cricketers, Playing Out of Age Group and Protective Equipment. […]
The curious case of the Prime Minister and sixes at Crossflatts
This is about new housing, planning permission, red tape, proximity to a cricket club, Sport England, flawed references to Freddie Flintoff, risk assessments and common sense. Add in an intervention by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Keir Starmer and things get interesting. While my article on Scarborough Cricket Club’s first-team was blowing […]
How does ECB strategy for 2025 to 2028 affect recreational cricket?
The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced its updated Inspiring Generations strategy for the next four years. By 2028, the governing body wants to “become the most inclusive team sport in England and Wales, while at the same time growing and uniting the game and leading it through global transformation”. While the launch […]
2025 at grassroots: From girls’ cricket to grounds
What are going to be the trends in grassroots cricket in 2025? Well, this is when I peer into the future and make some educated / outlandish predictions. [Delete as applicable 😁] Girls’ cricket at clubs In my analysis of the ECB’s new 2025-2028 strategy, what stood out in the drive to have 6,000 girls’ […]
White Rose Forum keeps Yorkshire CCC fans connected
The White Rose Forum is proof that amid the breakneck speed of technology and snowballing innovation online, a chance for a natter about cricket without emojis or character limits has its unquestionable place. (This article has been updated but was originally published in 2020) A Yorkshire cricket forum can be a thriving community, a hotbed […]