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Ashes 2023 - No Tests in August

hudson88

hudson88

Striker
Apologies if posted elsewhere and I’ve missed it, and apologies for a link to The Mail.

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The narrative has been for a while now that the 16.4 is the way to get the next generation interested in cricket.

They've made that true by making it the only format available to kids 😡

Thinking back to the summer of 2005. I spent every day of the holidays watching the Ashes on FTA or playing cricket and by time I went back to school there was a 500% increase in cricket fans.
 
I am Boss said:
The narrative has been for a while now that the 16.4 is the way to get the next generation interested in cricket.

They've made that true by making it the only format available to kids 😡

Thinking back to the summer of 2005. I spent every day of the holidays watching the Ashes on FTA or playing cricket and by time I went back to school there was a 500% increase in cricket fans.
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Agree, though there will be plenty who already have or will nag their parents to get Sky Sports Cricket BT Sport etc where the real cricket is available! And everyone has access to county games on YouTube.
 
This has boiled my piss. I was a young lad in the 70s when I got into cricket, watching the test matches on BBC during the holidays. If only the ECB would allow an August test match each year to be televised on BBC now. They have space on the red button but they could put the bulk of it on their main two channels anyway. Daytime TV is all dross.
 
It really saddens me that the longest and greatest ever cricket contest is now beholden to a circus event.

I don’t buy the fact that the public don’t understand/want longer forms of the game. That’s because they haven’t been encouraged from an early age like everyone on here was. And I don’t buy that it’s just a younger person’s thing. I took my young relatives to T20s when they were young kids and they are now in their 20s and are cricket enthusiasts.
 
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The Breen Machine said:
Only the players can save the game now, by taking a stand and making themselves unavailable for the 16.4

Devaluing an Ashes series at the expense of the 16.4 really is a giant nail in cricket's coffin.
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You can't expect the players, they have quite a lot to lose. The counties can save the game if they work together, they have the power to bring down the 16.4 at a stroke.

I happen to know that the contract the Manchester Shitweasels have to use Old Trafford does not last as long as the new TV deal, it's nowhere near 5 years. I would imagine it's the same for all the franchises and their home grounds. And no access to grounds, no 16.4. It's as simple as that.

If the counties can get their heads together now they can take on the ECB and win easily. If they wait much longer, until the franchises are sold to the IPL financiers and have the financial power behind them, they are dead.
bumble2 said:
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The word should be 'inevitable'.
 
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Have a look at Athertons article in the Telegraph today. The appointment of the new ECB Chairman gives us reason to be a bit more optimistic.
See the thread:

New ECB chair appointment imminent​

 
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Steak Pie said:
You can't expect the players, they have quite a lot to lose. The counties can save the game if they work together, they have the power to bring down the 16.4 at a stroke.

I happen to know that the contract the Manchester Shitweasels have to use Old Trafford does not last as long as the new TV deal, it's nowhere near 5 years. I would imagine it's the same for all the franchises and their home grounds. And no access to grounds, no 16.4. It's as simple as that.

If the counties can get their heads together now they can take on the ECB and win easily. If they wait much longer, until the franchises are sold to the IPL financiers and have the financial power behind them, they are dead.

The word should be 'inevitable'.
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Fair point - I can't see county's such as Lancashire growing any bollocks though as they'll want the matchday revenue from the 16.4. They'll be looking at short-term profit and little beyond that.
 
The Breen Machine said:
Fair point - I can't see county's such as Lancashire growing any bollocks though as they'll want the matchday revenue from the 16.4. They'll be looking at short-term profit and little beyond that.
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Not so sure about that, there's a lot of grumbling about the 16.4 from the members. The money Lancs get from the 16.4 isn't the be all and end all.

You'd need all 8 host counties on board, and I think there's a way to do it. All test grounds outside of London have to miss a year hosting test cricket, so if you can redo the calendar guaranteeing each ground a test and an ODi/T20, or 6 x ODi/T20 you could get them onside. Surrey are already righteous.
 
Am I missing something here? The tests will still be in the prime summer months of June and July I assume?

If the 16.4 cheapened the Ashes I’d be furious but I don’t think it has here. If anything it’s a better schedule than previous series when one or two tests have been in September.

Not that arsed about the summer holidays thing cos unless kids have sky it’s invisible anyway.
 
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