Cricket dying?

[redandwhiterob]

The problem been is that football is too big and has been for years!

Even in the summer the back pages are full of what transfer rumours they are what managers are possibly getting sacked etc etc.

Even youth leagues now have summer football leagues which I find ridiculous.

As kid I always thought there was that clear definition of England’s two main sports in this country football in the winter cricket in the summer.

Now it’s football, football and more football.

Can remember going from playing gatesy in the back lane to somehow finding a way to play cricket there when the summer came. Use to have a dustbin lid propped up for a wicket. Use to be challenging playing on cobbles but we managed it ha

 

[Voice of fair play]

Can remember going from playing gatesy in the back lane to somehow finding a way to play cricket there when the summer came. Use to have a dustbin lid propped up for a wicket. Use to be challenging playing on cobbles but we managed it ha

We had a upgrade on that,them big boxes that bread come in for the stumps, and the tarmac of the shed garages was slightly better than cobbles

 

[Jap Stammer]

We had a upgrade on that,them big boxes that bread come in for the stumps, and the tarmac of the shed garages was slightly better than cobbles

We used to play in the street outside of my mate's house.

The gardens either side were out of bounds and an automatic dismissal - taught us to hit along the ground (didn't count if it deflected from the kerb up over the wall).

The only place to hit safely in the air was back over the bowlers head and up the street. Bowled full pelt at each other from about 15 yards away - no pads or gloves - heavy sponge ball.

F@cking loved it.

 

[TheRey]

I've said this before, but it was 2005 I got into cricket. Before that summer, I hated it and when my poor dad had it on the Tele, we'd all nag him to turn it off. The way the cricket was that summer - hard and exciting - but also the way the whole country became gripped by it, I fell in love, the way you do as a kid.
That summer I used my pocket money to buy a GM cricket set - despite my mum's protests because she didn't think we'd ever actually play with it - but that summer, every single day we would be out playing cricket. Rules were simple - played on a brick road (which I've no doubt is the reason I ended up as a spinner), the wall and flats on the leg side were four if the ball bounced or rolled but out if the shot was in the air, and the cars and garages on the off side were boundaries.
A year later I got my first Surrey membership and joined a team for the first time, a year after that I went to my first Test match.
Sky wasn't prominent in my street at the time, and if the cricket hadn't been on FTA there's no chance we'd have got into it the way we did. For years after 2005, the first day of sunshine of the year the footballs went into the garage and the cricket stuff came out.

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw kids or a family playing cricket. Not on streets, not in the park, not on the beach... Nothing.

I understand the financial side of it, but having cricket behind a paywall, coupled with newspapers, news channels etc only focusing on football even all the way through June and July, has killed the popularity of the sport with the younger generations IMO


Funny story I do remember. I was in my back garden getting a bowling lesson from my mate next door who was grounded so leaning out of his bedroom window telling me to keep my arm straight

 

[bumble2]

We used to play in the street outside of my mate's house.

The gardens either side were out of bounds and an automatic dismissal - taught us to hit along the ground (didn't count if it deflected from the kerb up over the wall).

The only place to hit safely in the air was back over the bowlers head and up the street. Bowled full pelt at each other from about 15 yards away - no pads or gloves - heavy sponge ball.

F@cking loved it.

Luxury! We had it tough. We had to go out to bat at three in the morning on a tarmac wicket in middle of t’road to face ball made of rock in pitch darkness, and if we got out t’captain used to flog us to death with a cricket bat and then roll our bodies into dirt with t’heavy roller. But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'.

 

[Johnap]

Luxury! We had it tough. We had to go out to bat at three in the morning on a tarmac wicket in middle of t’road to face ball made of rock in pitch darkness, and if we got out t’captain used to flog us to death with a cricket bat and then roll our bodies into dirt with t’heavy roller. But you try and tell the young people today that... and they won't believe ya'.

Luxury - we had Tommy Heads as groundman at Dawdon. It is amazing we ever got a game played. The wicket was green all the time - the grass on it was embarrassing. Ask for another cut at your peril. Do you want the light or heavy roller? Tommy Heads brought on the big heavy motor roller whether you wanted it or not!

 

[I am Boss]

I've said this before, but it was 2005 I got into cricket. Before that summer, I hated it and when my poor dad had it on the Tele, we'd all nag him to turn it off. The way the cricket was that summer - hard and exciting - but also the way the whole country became gripped by it, I fell in love, the way you do as a kid.
That summer I used my pocket money to buy a GM cricket set - despite my mum's protests because she didn't think we'd ever actually play with it - but that summer, every single day we would be out playing cricket. Rules were simple - played on a brick road (which I've no doubt is the reason I ended up as a spinner), the wall and flats on the leg side were four if the ball bounced or rolled but out if the shot was in the air, and the cars and garages on the off side were boundaries.
A year later I got my first Surrey membership and joined a team for the first time, a year after that I went to my first Test match.
Sky wasn't prominent in my street at the time, and if the cricket hadn't been on FTA there's no chance we'd have got into it the way we did. For years after 2005, the first day of sunshine of the year the footballs went into the garage and the cricket stuff came out.

I couldn't tell you the last time I saw kids or a family playing cricket. Not on streets, not in the park, not on the beach... Nothing.

I understand the financial side of it, but having cricket behind a paywall, coupled with newspapers, news channels etc only focusing on football even all the way through June and July, has killed the popularity of the sport with the younger generations IMO


Funny story I do remember. I was in my back garden getting a bowling lesson from my mate next door who was grounded so leaning out of his bedroom window telling me to keep my arm straight

I reckon most cricket fans under 30 or so will cite 2005 as the reason they got in to cricket. Had my first membership at Durham in 2005 and already had a decent interest in the game as well as playing.

The Ashes really accelerated my love of the game though. It was the first time I'd really watched the likes of Warne & Gilchrist plus the emergence of KP who at that point all I'd heart about was rumours of his talent.

So many people in my school year who had zero interest in the game became big fans that summer.

Lockdown was the perfect opportunity to hammer cricket in to the public. Everyone stuck in the house and it was on sky. People were so bored even the most anti cricket people out there probably would have tuned in

 

[The Rat]

I reckon most cricket fans under 30 or so will cite 2005 as the reason they got in to cricket. Had my first membership at Durham in 2005 and already had a decent interest in the game as well as playing.

The Ashes really accelerated my love of the game though. It was the first time I'd really watched the likes of Warne & Gilchrist plus the emergence of KP who at that point all I'd heart about was rumours of his talent.

So many people in my school year who had zero interest in the game became big fans that summer.

Lockdown was the perfect opportunity to hammer cricket in to the public. Everyone stuck in the house and it was on sky. People were so bored even the most anti cricket people out there probably would have tuned in

Yeah you are probably right

I am from chester though and the ground not far from my school, so my heroes were mustard, onions, breese and will smith

for England it was Nasser and Thorpe by first 2 heroes

2005 was huge, I personally am sick of hearing about it, but thats because I am a massive wanker.

No doubt its fundamental to a generation of cricket fans

2009 was an unreal ashes but it never gets mentioned for example, like ever.
cricket isnt drying like though I dont think

 

[Silly Point]

Only really took a passing interest until the 2009 Ashes, the first series I avidly watched, especially after school broke up for summer. Had been to Headingley for county games before then but it was that series that really kick started a serious relationship with the game. Like most kids I was more into football up to that point, but 2009 marked the start of my late teens and "growing up"

Anyway, as long as the subcontinent still fanatically follow the game, it won't die.