Truly, this proves the axiom that everyone is the hero in their own story. Perhaps I’m a cynical curmudgeon and I can’t see anyone doing anything for any reason besides explicit self interests despite what they may tell themselves.
What percentage of CA’s income comes from Tests vs other formats? If their balance sheet looked liked the West Indies balance sheet, do you think they’d make this heroic stand on the supremacy of Test cricket? How many Tests do they actually play against countries not named India or England. Quiet leadership you may tell yourself, but I say it’s easy to be a saint in paradise.
Think you're affording disproportionate weight to the "quiet leadership" part, Lokhtar. It's clearly presented as one of a couple of perspectives in the piece. The others a little less generous.
As someone in their 50s, my love of cricket began well before T20 existed. I know of nobody who has any knowledge of or interest in any overseas franchise league. The BBL elicits passing interest but zero passion. If Test cricket withers and dies so will my interest in the sport generally. I think this is a pretty widely held view in this country. If the inevitable march of commerce swamps the game I’ve loved for over 40 years and turns it into a mind numbing flood of meaningless drivel then so be it. It can do it without me.
I watch our players in franchise matches. Like all abreviated forms of the game the results are quickly forgotten. I still don't know if I prefer the Stars or the Renegades. Test cricket matters for years.
I grew up in Lara. I never thought this town would have been featured in an article about international cricket. If only those 2004 2’s players at the snake-pit on Mill road knew what the future held
Look, I won't say that I won't watch cricket once it all turns into franchise leagues cause I love cricket too much. But certainly it's going to be hard to have actual emotional engagement with it.
Although I do have to admit that, if you look at IPL, they do have passionate fanbases, so maybe it's just a matter of how long they have been there. Probably the Hardik Pandya saga shows that it is possible to have interesting storylines in franchise cricket :)
Truly, this proves the axiom that everyone is the hero in their own story. Perhaps I’m a cynical curmudgeon and I can’t see anyone doing anything for any reason besides explicit self interests despite what they may tell themselves.
What percentage of CA’s income comes from Tests vs other formats? If their balance sheet looked liked the West Indies balance sheet, do you think they’d make this heroic stand on the supremacy of Test cricket? How many Tests do they actually play against countries not named India or England. Quiet leadership you may tell yourself, but I say it’s easy to be a saint in paradise.
Think you're affording disproportionate weight to the "quiet leadership" part, Lokhtar. It's clearly presented as one of a couple of perspectives in the piece. The others a little less generous.
That’s fair enough. You’re right about that, it just caught my eye.
As someone in their 50s, my love of cricket began well before T20 existed. I know of nobody who has any knowledge of or interest in any overseas franchise league. The BBL elicits passing interest but zero passion. If Test cricket withers and dies so will my interest in the sport generally. I think this is a pretty widely held view in this country. If the inevitable march of commerce swamps the game I’ve loved for over 40 years and turns it into a mind numbing flood of meaningless drivel then so be it. It can do it without me.
I watch our players in franchise matches. Like all abreviated forms of the game the results are quickly forgotten. I still don't know if I prefer the Stars or the Renegades. Test cricket matters for years.
Yeah but what about the Wisden almanacs I have been assiduously collecting?!?!?
I grew up in Lara. I never thought this town would have been featured in an article about international cricket. If only those 2004 2’s players at the snake-pit on Mill road knew what the future held
Please can l have your autographs & newsleters
Look, I won't say that I won't watch cricket once it all turns into franchise leagues cause I love cricket too much. But certainly it's going to be hard to have actual emotional engagement with it.
Although I do have to admit that, if you look at IPL, they do have passionate fanbases, so maybe it's just a matter of how long they have been there. Probably the Hardik Pandya saga shows that it is possible to have interesting storylines in franchise cricket :)