An interesting article; I know it usually sparks a debate when we mention out-grounds, but I think they are worth persevering with wherever possible.
1. I support Warwickshire CCC; whilst it is easier for me to say as somebody who has never lived in Warwickshire (Spent all my life in Wolverhampton, the Black Country and Liverpool) I feel that the whole county should be represented and have a chance to see cricket, not just Edgbaston.
2. I know we have a world class facility at Edgbaston, but there is an undeniable charm playing at out-grounds; Arundel, Aigburth and Colwyn Bay are all lovely grounds that I have visited.
3. A couple of hundred people on a Monday afternoon at Edgbaston or a couple of hundred crowded in at Stratford, Kenilworth or K&D?
As I said at the time (and I was slated for saying it).... Stratford was a missed opportunity to hold a regular festival.... Perhaps an end of season one near the August BH would have worked. The carry on regardless brigade rushed into holding it, without canvassing opinion. Now we have Portland Road, it is very unlikely we will play in another home outground again. The cost of an HQ and its second ground substantive enough that additional costs can't be justified by a commercial organisation. Taking a T20 match away from Edgbaston has been proven to badly hit revenue and profit. Personally, I have no problem in a championship match being taken to an outground outside the Birmingham area as long as there is sponsorship in place to cover the costs including insurance..... But is the demand really there... a suitable venue to hold a first class game (without a visit from a pitch inspector) and just as importantly... a sponsor.
I heard it suggested that the demands of international cricket in the 2019 World Cup year may be such that a number of headquarters grounds will be unavailable to counties for long periods. They may indeed be forced to return to outgrounds. The spectators like it. The players seem to like it. Shame about the accountants.
A happy day today at Cheltenham watching Gloucestershire lose narrowly to Sussex. A great advert for the four day game which finished in the last session with the result in doubt until the final wicket fell.
Marquees, vending stalls, a book stall, a lunchtime talk; and not a jacuzzi in sight. A decent sized crowd. Not many schoolkids because most haven't broken up; but otherwise, a whole mix of ages - and plenty of females most of whom (Colin Graves please note) looked as if they understood what was going on.
Tomorrow evening they have a sold-out T20 game there, when I imagine the whole atmosphere will be very different. They are opening the gates (and, I suspect, the bars too) at 1.30 for a 5.30 start.
PS - Jofra Archer - 21 overs, eight maidens, 4-29 - looked mighty impressive.
(19-07-2018, 07:25 PM)Terry Wrote: not a jacuzzi in sight.
I assume Simon wasn't there then?
No Speedos to be seen.
I agree about Archer. He doesn't want to play for the Windies and is content to qualify for England, although it will be years before he gets there. By then he will probably be entrenched in the global hit-and-giggle circuit. He's much too good for Division 2 Championship cricket anyway.
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