Fifty Years Of Test Match Special - an interview with Peter Baxter

Peter Baxter first worked on the Test Match Special (TMS) programme in 1966, and has produced it since 1973. Peter will retire from the programme at the end of the 2007 England series against the West Indies. I interviewed Peter at the Lords Media centre and joined him in a slice of cake (a tradition now synonymous with the TMS team).

Have you seen a change in the popularity of cricket since the early days of TMS?

Cricket wasn’t that popular when I started, it was going through a bit of trough. It was the 1975 series that really got things going again. Tony Gregs England side and the fast bowlers from the West Indies rekindled public interest.
I was aware that when I was taking over I was inheriting a real institution. I had listened to it myself so I was aware of its popularity and its effect. I was doing John Arlott impersonations at the age of 10, so I was a TMS fan from an early age. It was unbelievable when I took charge. I remember Robert Hudson, who was the head of department at the time and one of the great commentators, said to me that TMS was company for people. I have often thought of that and I think it is as true now as it was then. People who listen like to feel part of the family and we like to see ourselves as a family, we probably spend more time with each other than we do with our families some times!

There are more and more issues with broadcasting rights, how do you see the future for TMS?

Well the ECB were delighted when TalkSport came on the scene recently because it meant that there was someone else bidding for the radio rights. TalkSport have been bought out by an Irish company and they are not interested in bidding again. In a funny way that did us a favour because I think the BBC realised that their involvement with cricket was under threat. They really rallied round and have been fully behind us since which has been fantastic. We had three miserable winters though; it’s very difficult to cover a series when you don’t have the rights. You are basically operating outside of the law which makes things difficult. Some countries treated us differently to others, some took the long term view that although we didn’t have the rights at that time we would in the future, so they were happy to help, others were not so agreeable. One of the South Africa series was tough and of course Sri Lanka was a bit sticky. But we are back on the straight and narrow now. I think Sky have probably taken the competition for the TV rights out of everybody’s hands but that has been beneficial for us because the ECB want TMS involved.

When you were writing the book was there anything that you had forgotten that suddenly jumped out at you?

It was a lot of fun researching the commentators that I did not work with in the early days, there are some very interesting characters there. I have been producing it for 34 of the 50 years so I have to say that there is not a lot that I don’t remember.

Is there another 50 years left in TMS?

That’s a good question, I certainly hope so. I hope that in 50 years it still sounds recognizably like Test Match Special. The game will certainly last 50 years and TMS is only as good as the game itself. Broadcasting I hope can produce the characters that are capable of doing that sort of job. You have to have people who can keep the integrity of the commentary and most importantly of all you have to have commentators who know cricket. It needs to be second nature, TMS commentators need to have the verbal ability to explain the cricket and paint the whole picture. We don’t have a high turnover of people so we introduce people into the team very gradually. Certainly there have been members of the team who has said that when they were first commentating it was very intimidating.

The recent World Cup in the Caribbean must have been an interesting competition for the TMS team.

It was a logistical nightmare. Just getting it on the air was a huge effort and I think it was about a third of the way through the tournament that we realised that it was quite dull. It was such an exciting exercise to get on the air mainly because the Caribbean is a difficult place to do a live broadcast. The trouble was that the technical systems are all different so you have that to deal with along with getting the right team to the right game. We started to realise that the World Cup was not improving and we started to ask ourselves how many good matches had we had actually seen? We decided that we had seen 3 good games; England v Sri Lanka, England v West Indies and Bangladesh v Ireland, which was a shame.

Do you think that the growing popularity of the short forms of the game will have an effect on Test Match Special?

We don’t get the same audience figure for One Day games as we do for Test matches. I like One Day games and the draw for the crowds is obvious, people can take a day off work and see a full game and a result. There are only a certain amount of things that can happen in a One Day game and we have seen most of them now. It is only very occasionally that the team batting first get the right number of runs to make an interesting and a competitive game. Test match cricket is still the pinnacle of the game.

I talk to Peter Ackerley, Head of ECB Youth Development, About The State Of The Youth Game.

Could you explain how the increase in funding is improving the development of youth cricket in the UK?

There is wide range of areas where we now receive funding from. That funding goes into a single investment fund which it is then filtered out to the development programmes across the UK. What we do then, subject to an agreed funding formula with our 39 County Boards, is spread the money out to the County Boards. The funding the Boards receive is accountable to some very specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and some agreed roles and responsibilities that our County Board can work towards. The Boards get an agreed fixed fee each year subject to them fulfilling the KPIs which we have agreed with them.
75% of the Boards funding is fixed, the other 25% of the funding is linked to performance. What I mean by that is;
Are the boards increasing participation?
Are they increasing the membership to clubs?
Are the clubs on the way to, or already, being accredited?
They also have to increase the number of coaches, volunteers and the amount of roles out there for those volunteers. If they do that they get that extra 25%.
This is all about getting an inclusive, cohesive single approach to the development structure.

What are the County Boards bringing to this process?

We are now at a situation where we are in a business process with the County Boards. We work very closely to make sure that they improve their levels of strategic planning and we help and support them in that. We are looking into what they are doing for their own leadership and governance as well, where are they in their development programmes. Having gone through this process we now know roughly where the 39 Counties are in term of their development structure. At the end of September 2007 they have to deliver against key targets and core responsibilities.

How does the ECB and the County Boards work together?

Each County Board has now got, in addition to its main board, a very key operational management group who are responsible for working with the regional managers. This group decide what they can achieve and how they are going to improve. It’s a self assessment process and they agree to a level that they believe they can achieve. I do not mind if a County Board sets itself a low target as long as they are moving forward and improving. It realise on locally based decisions, which works very well, it’s a demand led system, what do Cornwall, for instance, need in order to progress. Once we know what a County requires in order to improve we can then work out how much funding they will need to hit that target.

And it is obviously a comprehensive approach to cricket development.

No County can get away with not supporting cricket for people with disabilities, women and girls, ethnic minorities and hard to reach areas in inner cities. It doesn’t mean that every county has to do it to the same level, it means that they have to hit the targets they have agreed with their regional managers.

Can you elaborate on the steep increase in the Cricket Development programme and where you see it going?

A lot of the people involved have been with us since the beginning. But let’s not forget that we are only 10 years young, this is the tenth anniversary of the ECB formulating. So for a young business we have made huge strides. In the last 2 years there has been a lot happening and that has culminated in a fantastic increase in income. From October 2007 – September 2010 I am going to be investing just over 14 ½ Million Pounds. That is from a single investment fund, just revenue funding not capitol. Now that does not including the Chance to Shine [approx ½ Million per annum] funding and other addition funding that will come in. That is quite a significant leap forward for us because 10 years ago we were getting around £50,000 per year, so you can see the difference. Clearly I want people incredibly accountable for that money, it is public funding.
By the end of this summer we will have articulated our 2009-2013 strategy will be. So you can see that we are working towards being bigger and better in the future. We have to be that forward thinking, in a smaller scale, it is what we are asking our clubs to do, plan ahead.

What are the main areas you are focusing on in order to reach the goals you have set for the programme?

The key to this is regionalisation, funding in the future will be based in regions.
Community is at the centre of this, it about people and encouraging them to get involved and be part of their local club. Once you start getting adults and children involved in initiatives like this you then start getting people away from their computer games and outside, it starts effecting obesity rates, social skills and many other things not related to sport.

Government funding is very important in all of this. Would they come in with such levels of funding if private companies had not chosen to invest as well?

There is a very key government agenda now where they want to invest along side private businesses and enterprises. A lot of the funding we have received from the government would not have happened without the private funding. For example, we have managed to take our Sky Sports Coach Education programme and match the funding with public finance to increase the network of coaches and tutors. That is a good example of what the government want to do. Off the back of what we are doing jobs will be created along with community and regional work forces, the government are aware of that and want to support that.

How do you see the ECB development programme moving forward?

We know now that when we invest money we can quickly get massive returns in terms of improving the participation rates of adults and children in cricket. We are starting to work with a Chance to Shine and the Cricket Foundation to look at using cricket as an educational tool. How cricket can become more literate, more numerate, informing kids about nutrition and how the body works. All of this will be available online to every teacher in the land. One of our key targets over the next two months is to breakdown the ECB website and make it easier for people to find the information that is there. The website is a great tool because it allows a groundsman in Lincolnshire, for example, to go online and find out how best to prepare a pitch, that’s a great tool and we have information for teachers, coaches, chairmen, you name it.
Within 12 months I want to be in a position to see how many people actually play the game. Now it’s not governed by any particular standard, it’s about the whole cricket family, from county cricket right down to youth Kwik Cricket. I want to be able to measure what the cricket family looks like.
We know the product is good, we want to bring the whole arena of cricket together and we are creating the links to enable us to do that. We know we are doing something right; you look at the increase in investment over the last ten years and the increased participation and it bods very well for a bright future.

The Great BurnOut Issue

Crickets Governing Bodies will lose the battle against player burnout unless they face up to the implications of an overloaded calendar and come to a happy medium.

Since the Ashes of 2005 the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would seem to have had a hotline to the press with their latest announcement of injury. Michael Vaughan, Simon Jones and Ashley Giles have been the main ‘sicknotes’ within the England squad but there have also been ongoing problems for Andrew Flintoff and Jimmy Anderson that have necessitated surgery or extended periods of inactivity. Injuries to high profile players are of course nothing new. The two premier spin bowlers in world cricket over the last decade Muttiah Murilitharan and Shane Warne along with Shane Bond and Glenn McGrath representing the fast men, have had extended spells out of the game through injury over the last few years.

The Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) headed by the former Australian spinner has long stated that there is too much International cricket on the global calendar. The main concern for the players’ union has been player burnout and attempting to maintain the highest quality by ensuring that the best player’s are fit to play at their best.

The International Cricket Council has a difficult balancing act in trying to raise funds to disseminate throughout the cricket world. Their philosophy is to try to spread the game globally by encouraging the established test nations to play the minnows more regularly, but also to encourage regular test and one day series between those same test nations. The league tables for both test and one-day cricket has further increased the pressure on all of the established cricketing nations to perform at the top of their game on a constant basis.

It would seem that the respective boards are stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Do they continue to expose players to such a heavy workload or do they pick weakened teams on a regular basis to protect players from injury? The fact is that weakened sides are already being fielded regularly due to the surgeon’s knife. Having been on the consultant’s table some thirteen times (nine knee and four back operations) over the years I am well placed to have an opinion on at least some of the causes.

So how can we reduce injuries in cricket?

Traumatic injuries usually occur when the body is pushed beyond its limit and such strain leads to failure, be it to ligament, tendon, muscle or bone. Recent examples of such injuries are those suffered by Simon Jones and Andrew Symonds rupturing anterior cruciate ligament and bicep tendon respectively and are to a large extent unavoidable. David ‘Syd’ Lawrence remains a harrowing memory as he fractured his patella in the action of bowling in New Zealand. All that can be asked of players, trainers and physiotherapists alike is that players are as prepared as they can be to take the field. Certainly player preparation and fitness have increased exponentially over recent years but this does not seem to have transferred itself into fewer injuries for the players.

Fatigue injuries are slightly less obvious as they tend to creep up on players and selectors alike. Players attempting to perform at the top of their games over many years will inevitably have dips in form whether through physical or mental fatigue. Focusing on the physical aspect this can be broken into two categories. The player who feels physically drained and does not seem to be able to produce what was once expected. This player will possibly exhibit signs of an accompanying mental fatigue.

Physical signs can also be represented by a chronic injury that whilst allowing the player to continue taking the filed will lead to the player being unable to concentrate as well as before and being less effective in terms of their level of performance and the amount of work that they can get through. Andrew Flintoff is a good case in point as at times he has continued playing at the highest level with a persistent ankle injury leading to an inevitable decline in performance and ultimately to enforced rest after surgery. Both types of fatigue injury represent a great challenge to selectors, trainers and physiotherapists. Players are reluctant to admit to any kind of mental fatigue and those that have chosen this path and have taken time out of the game have been roundly criticised in the media when choosing to rest during a winter campaign. Players that have perhaps not judged those moments well enough have received support and sympathy rather belatedly, though it is important to stress that certainly the ECB and the Professional Players’ Association (PCA) have both improved their act in this area immeasurably in the more recent past. There is however no doubt that more could be done to help players with chronic injury to better rehabilitate. Players coming back from injury need to be given more time and more appropriate quality matches before they are rushed back into contention for test places. This winter the likes of Michael Vaughan, James Anderson and Ashley Giles have all been rushed into contention too soon and have to a man not been able to produce the sort of form of which they are capable. Selectors need to develop a much more rigorous attitude to player fitness and ensure that players coming back from injury really are ready to step back into the cauldron that is international cricket. They need anticipate player fatigue, both physical and mental, and rest players so that they can expect to perform at their very best whenever they pull on their national colours.

What are the techniques?

Presentation of lumbar stress fractures (spondylolysis) is not well covered within the literature. Symptomatic patients typically present with focal low back pain that sometimes can radiate into the buttock or away to the lower extremities. Symptoms are often of a gradual and mild in nature for some time, with an acute worsening after a particular event, causing the pain to become more chronic and dull with time. Typically in the early stages, the fast bowler becomes aware of pain after bowling only, followed by an earlier onset of pain as the condition progresses, until the pain is felt very early in a bowling spell and ultimately to the point where bowling becomes impossible. Right arm bowlers almost exclusively develop pain to the left side of the lumbar spine at a point named the pars interarticularis. A combination of rotation coupled with hyperextension and left sided lateral flexion is known to give rise to such fractures. This means that bowlers that lean back prior to delivery or that collapse on their non-bowling arm side or show excessive rotation of the spine through the action are very vulnerable to these types of pars fractures.

Historically there was thought to be just one bowling action for the fast bowler. The side-on action. A study by Elliott and Foster (1984) of four Australian International fast bowlers led to the recognition of a second technique known as front-on. Most of the studies into spondylolysis injuries in cricket were carried out by Elliott and Foster in Western Australia. They determined that for both the side-on and front-on techniques the hips and shoulders need to be in alignment with one another at back foot impact (BFI), and for there to be no notable deviation from this position until just prior to release.
The ECB cricket coaching manual (2000) equally stresses the need to keep the shoulders and hips in alignment as much as possible through the bowling action, and puts great emphasis on the position of the hips and shoulders at both BFI and front foot impact (FFI). The basic message is to reduce any twisting of the spine by keeping the hips and shoulders in the same alignment throughout the bowling action, and that the hips and shoulder orientation should match the side-on or front-on position of the feet. The ECB also have guidelines in place known as ‘the fast bowling directives’, designed to limit the numbers of balls bowled both in practice and matches in age group cricket. Almost universally players, parents and coaches alike dislike these limits but they are essential if we are to protect young bodies during the major growing years.

However much the bowling directives are disliked it is essential that we both limit the number of times young bowlers put their bodies under maximal stress and that we are ever more vigilant in assuring that techniques adhere to those in the coaching manuals. Given that
Elliott and Foster (1984) found mean vertical ground reaction forces (GRF) at front foot impact to be 4.7 times body weight. Similar mean vertical GRF have been noted in later studies ranging between 4.1 and 9 times body weight irrespective of the standard of performance (Elliott et al (1986), Mason et al (1989), Foster et al (1989) Elliott et al (1992), Elliott et al (1993) and Hurrion et al (2000). The lower limb absorbs much of the force but is unable to shield the lumbar spine from some of this impact (Nigg 1983). The lumbar spine is exposed to these forces whilst potentially hyper-extended, rotated and laterally flexed as the bowler attempts to summate a high degree of power from within the musculoskeletal system (Burnett et al 1998). By its very nature fast bowling is an extremely stressful occupation. When the body is required to absorb impact of such high values even with a completely pure action it is not assured of escaping injury. Without strict adherence to preparation and technique the chances of both minor and serious injury are inevitably increased.

Neil Foster represent England in 29 test matches and 48 one-day international matches and taking over 1,000 wickets in all first class cricket in that time. Due to knee and back injuries through his career Neil spent more and more time on the physiotherapy table and it caught his imagination. Neil is now a member of both the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists (CSP) and the Organisation of Chartered Physiotherapists in Private Practice (OCPPP). Neil's main clinic is run from East Bergholt in the Dedham Vale but he also runs clinics in Clacton-on-Sea and Great Bentley.

Dark Clouds Hide Flintoff Injury

During the launch of Asda’s annual Kwik Cricket initiative at Regents Park yesterday (May 14th) Andrew Flintoff batted and bowled against a gaggle of young cricketers. It was a wet and windy day in North London and with many of the ECB staff present discussing the weather forecast for the rest of the week it appears that the First Test against the West Indies will be a wash out.

This will no doubt be a huge relief to Peter Moores. Moores will be keen to start his new tenure with the best team possible on the field. With Vaughan injured and Flintoff going for a scan the appearance of a bit of rain is probably not unwelcome. Freddie announced his ankle was still giving him some pain and that he was only “hopeful of being fit for Thursday”.

An ECB spokesman commented on Flintoff fitness:

"A further re-assessment of Andrew's injury will be made by the ECB Medical Team tomorrow morning prior to the England team's net practice at Lord's." However, hearing word from Flintoff’s manager, Neil Fairbrother, it appears that Freddie is having a scan at a Harley Street clinic before an announcement is made about his fitness by the ECB medical team.

Flintoff was cautious during the interview and would only class himself as “all right” when asked. “Sometimes when it is the ankle the alarm bells start ringing a bit but I’m still very hopeful. When I was operated on it was on the back and the inside of the ankle but this pain is more on the outside. This discomfort is something I felt during the winter so it is not something completely new.”

He was jovial for the most part though. When asked a seemingly bizarre question by an Indian reporter regarding the likelihood of him retiring by the next World Cup he was bemused and stated that being “only 29” he would “hope that he would certainly be playing in that one”. But with the constant injury problem that are starting to plague Flintoff it may not have been such a ridiculous question.

The captaincy issue is one that has created much hype since 'pedalogate' and when asked about this he was keen to lay any fears to rest regarding any possible animosity. “The issue of captaincy hasn’t crossed my mind since I got back from the Caribbean, I have just been concentrating on getting my game back in order. I’ve spent some valuable time in the nets with Neil Fairbrother and I have got some good scores for Lancashire. I am happier with my game than I have been recently.”

When asked about the poor performance of the England team in the World Cup Flintoff obviously wanted to look forward. "Staying in the West Indies gave me some time to reflect about what had gone on over the winter and, more importantly, how to move on from there and how I'm going to get back to playing my best cricket. I feel I'm going in the right direction," he said.

"The bowling does seem to take care of itself for the time being and the emphasis has been more on batting. I've worked hard and it seems to be coming back a bit now. "I've by no means cracked it, or am where I want to be, but I'm a lot happier about how I'm playing.”

In a light hearted exchange Freddie was asked by an Irish TV crew about his huge popularity in Ireland, especially with the Ladies. “I have no control over the Irish women; I don’t see myself as a sex symbol. I want to focus on playing cricket and playing well. I’m just pleased that I can help this (Asda) initiative; anything that can make thousands of kids take up cricket deserves my support.

Tom Cowle© Cricket World 2007

Abject England performance points towards a reshuffle.

I must take this opportunity to thank the South African cricket team. By beating England in Barbados they put a stop to my blind belief that England would reach the Semi-Finals. England have done nothing to show that they would make the final stages but being an England supporter there is always a thought they they could produce something from nothing. Now they are out I can relax and enjoy the competiton, but what will be the fallout from another poor English World Cup?

Tom Moody is the man that the majority of pundits, ex-players and supporters are talking about as the man to replace Duncan Fletcher.

This however is a concern. It seems that over the last few years whenever those in the know have suggested changes of personnel within the England camp it has never materialised. So with that in mind Moody can rest easy in his role with Sri Lanka, safe in the knowledge that the ECB will probably not want to go with the crowd.

Debate over the makeup of the England One Day squad faded away as Vaughan (and Team) was booed unanimously by the large England contingent at the Kensington Oval. The reaction of the crowd says it all. Supporters who have sung their hearts out at the most embarrassing performances finally lost their belief. Indeed the Barmy Army got their name from a commentator who coined the phrase after seeing hundreds of fans singing their support during another England Ashes collapse. For England fans to boo this England side just shows how far the relationship between the team and the fans has nose-dived.

Surely whatever the outcome of this tournament there are a few issues that do need to be debated by those in control.

1. Have central contracts worked to progress the standard of English One Day cricket?

2. Is the current setup for finding and improving new England players correct?

3. Why is it so difficult for prominent Ex-English players to be involved in the management of English cricket?

David Beckham resigned as England Captain after a poor World Cup, but he did not retire from football entirely. He showed that, despite his wealth and popularity, he was realistic enough to know that a change was necessary. Michael Vaughan, having showed terrible batting form and inconsistent captaincy during this competition, has neither resigned nor retired from One Day cricket. This just epitomizes the attitude that has been allowed to mature in the team.

Kwik Cricket Reaches Iraq

The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Royal Military Police (RMP) have swapped bullets for bouncers to bring cricket to the schoolchildren of Basra Province over the past six months.

The Iraqi project is designed to make the British troops a more benign presence and encourage the locals to report any terrorist activity. Brigadier James Everard CBE, Commander of 20th Armoured Brigade, is amazed at how well it worked.

“I had never dreamt that cricket would form a bridge between our two cultures so successfully. And how wonderful that somebody has found the time to channel his passion so positively in an area where such delights are limited.”

That somebody is Major Andrew M. Banks (right), the Officer commanding 110 Provost Company RMP, who says he “wouldn’t dream of deploying without my cricket bat”.

Major Banks, who returned from a seven-month tour based in Basra at the end of last year, taught the notoriously bewildering rules of cricket in Arabic to a traumatized and suspicious populus embroiled in a sectarian struggle.

“They have no concept of bat and ball games, which I found quite surprising. The teachers were sceptical at first, until they saw the kids having fun. When we gave the teachers the ECB’s cricket sets for them to use they seemed pleased.”

The children played Kwik Cricket, developed by the ECB as a basic form of the game. Now sponsored by ASDA it is played in schools and clubs across England and Wales with over 110,000 children taking part in the National Competition last year.

Oliver Mott managed the project for the ECB from Lord’s. He said:

“It’s fantastic to see the positive aspects of cricket being used to such good effect in this difficult situation. Cricket, of all sports, is very good at teaching the benefits of teamwork and fair play while being excellent fun.”

ASDA, official sponsors of Kwik Cricket in England and Wales, donated the kits, which proved perfect for the testing conditions of Iraq, which according to Oliver worked well,

“Kwik Cricket was the natural choice for this project, it is cricket in its most basic form and so attractive to children, it’s very easy to use and the simple kits of plastic bats and balls can be packed up quickly in case of emergency!”

By Oliver Mott

Arise..Sir Viv Richards

Sir Viv Richards is a talisman of West Indian cricket. When cricket fans talk of the great players of the game he is always there, the one player that people wish they could play like. Rarely do you hear players likened to him because, well, one has not come along yet. He is a big name in sport and always in demand, but he is laid back and happy to talk about sport in general. He’s a massive football fan- having played international football for Antigua in the qualifiers for the 1974 World Cup – and he loves golf.

“I am Liverpool supporter; I feel they have lost some great opportunities this season [2006/7] to get those vital 3 points, against Everton for example. All it takes is for Manchester United to lose a couple of games and the Premiership is up for grabs again.” Viv will talk for hours about football, he loves the English premiership and I do wonder, if he had his chance again, would he choose a different path. Certainly he believes that cricket, especially in the West Indies, needs to be managed more like football. “The money and the rewards involved are vital because that is the way things are going these days” says Richards. “People want to know that they can make a good living out of whatever they are doing. There needs to be more coaches, nutritionist, trainers and things like that in place. You have to widen the scope in many ways to make cricketers, especially in the West Indies, grow in a much more professional environment.” Richards is passionate about this and maybe there is a slight regret there that he didn’t follow the path of football.

Sir Viv Richards is a personality that is in high demand in the sports world. A popular event recently during the Ashes 2006/7 was a beach cricket tournament held on Bondi Beach between Australia, England and the West Indies. “That was a lot of fun, all the guys coming together and having a lot of fun. It was just a bunch of guys getting together and entertaining the crowd. The interaction of the audience and their enthusiasm to get involved was great. That was very special.”

This raises an interesting issue about the personalities in modern day cricket. Cricket fans love the way that Richards, Darren Gough, Allan Border and many others approached the game. Are there similar characters coming through now? Richards is sure that there are; “I think they are in their own way. It is so easy to relive your past and talk about the individuals back then, it’s great to do that but there are so many guys coming through right now. Bret Lee, young Kevin Pieterson, there are lots of people out there doing it there own way.”

Along with his many commitments Sir Viv Richards heads the Sir Viv Richards Foundation (SVRF). The SVRF objectives are to promote growth, coaching and the emergence of future West Indies sporting stars. The foundation has made some successful strides since its conception and Sir Viv is excited by the opportunities that the World Cup in the Caribbean may bring. “We can try and raise the awareness of the foundation during the competition, we need to generate interest and the World Cup will be a great time to meet a lot of new people and show them what we are doing” says Viv enthusiastically. “Our goals are to push beyond what we are doing right now, expand and to go down more avenues where we can make a difference to individuals who are less fortunate.”

Incentives such as the SVRF and the Stanford 20/20 [an inter-island cricket competition launched by billionaire Allan Stanford] are changing the way that young West Indian children view cricket. The Stanford 20/20 has been met with a mixed response, what does Sir Viv think about it? “Certainly you ask some people and they say it’s not a good thing but I can say that I think it does attract a lot of interest. It takes a lot of hard work and determination to become a professional sportsman, I think the Stanford 20/20 is giving young people a goal with the incentives and packages available to them.”

While talking to Sir Viv Richards it becomes apparent how important the World Cup is to the Caribbean. It is about more than just the cricket, it is about the legacy it can bring to the communities throughout the region. The Caribbean desperately want the current players to take the limelight and the recognition that the legends of the past have held for so long.

Steve Harmison.. Ready or Not

I met Steve Harmison on a typical spring morning. The sun was out but it was bitterly cold. Steve is a friendly and unassuming man. He has released a new book off the back of the Ashes titled ‘Ashes Frontline’. The book is in a diary style and catalogues the daily entries of himself and Justin Langer throughout the series.

Marcus Trescothick was initially intended to take part in the book but his early return meant that Steve was asked to take over the reigns. “Obviously it was sad that Marcus had to go home, I didn’t even know he was doing the book until I was approached about it after he had gone” comments Harmison. “I was happy to do it but I made sure that my fee was given over to the Bubble Foundation.” The Bubble Foundation is a charity which supports children suffering from the rare immune disorder Ipex Syndrome, which one of Steve’s extended family suffers from. (http://www.bubblefoundation.org.uk/)

The book is maybe not the read that the publishers had anticipated after such a terrific Ashes series in 2005. For England fans it is a painful return to a tour that never really started for the team. For the general cricket fan it is an interesting insight into the mindset of two key players and how they saw the Ashes from the middle and the dressing room. “we spent half an hour to an hour with a journalist after each day and basically went through are thoughts and views on the days play.” Harmison is honest and straightforward with his views throughout the book; “I felt in great form leading up the first test. I was confident and happy with my build up. I was disappointed to be taken out of the attack so early on in the first day of the first test and certainly felt that I had much more in the tank” urges Harmison. “I felt I got better and better through the tour and by the end I was bowling very well.” Which begged the question regarding the preparation for the series; “In my opinion it was spot on, there was hardly any time for us to get in any more cricket than we did.”

It was Harmison who made the headlines in thee Ashes for his inability to hit the same heights that he had done in the past. With the Caribbean World Cup in full swing it was interesting to draw the comparisons between the Ashes and his form in the 2004 tour of the West Indies where he was without doubt the best fast bowler in the world at the time.
“the wickets in the Caribbean look very slow at the moment which surprised me, in 2004 I they were very quick. For the World Cup it’s all about the medium pacers, in my opinion, if they can stick to a good line then they will take wickets.”

Of course it wasn’t just ‘that ball’ which opened the Ashes series that put Harmison in the spot light again. His decision to retire from One Day cricket was also a surprise. “I had told Duncan (Fletcher) at the airport that I wasn’t going to play One Day cricket for England anymore” states Harmison. “I retired for the good of playing Test cricket for England because I felt my form was slipping.”

Harmison has close, and well documented, relationship with Andrew Flintoff. What were his thoughts on Freddie’s tumultuous last few months? “Freddie is a guy who will do anything for anyone. People ask him to do something and he will bend over backwards to do it for them. Sometimes that can be his downfall” says Harmison sincerely. “Look at all the coverage he has had while out in the Caribbean, it has been totally blown out of all proportion in my opinion. There is not a drinking culture in the England team and there never has been. Lots of people, lots of teams, go out for a drink.”

Coming off a poor series in Australia Steve has also handed the initiative over to the young bowlers such as Anderson, Mahmood and Plunkett. They will be the guys with games under their belts and Steve will have to show good early form to force his way back into the Test team for the first series. “That’s my goal, to be opening the bowling at Lords,” ensures Harmison. “I’m going to have to start well for Durham and get in the wickets, it is really important for my game that I walk onto that field happy, that’s what I will be concentrating on.”

Supporters have known for some time now that Steve Harmison has to be content in his personal life in order to bowl the way that we know he can. But he will now have to prove to cricket fans across the world that he is not a spent force but one that is stirring into action after a winter in hibernation.

Michael Vaughan on the lead-up to the World Cup

With the World Cup only weeks away there is a renewed interest in England's ability to challenge for the trophy. Far from being a team there to make up the numbers England are going to the West Indies with a renewed vitality having beaten the Aussies in their own back yard.
Michael Vaughan seems to be at the forefront of this optimism, his tactical awareness has been well documented but he also takes the pressure of England's key match-winners. Vaughan is a relaxed individual, he exudes a confident but friendly attitude. Michael has been out of cricket for the past year with a knee injury and subsequent hamstring problems - typical of a player coming back from a long lay off. On a sunny day in Sheffield I talk to him about the last year and his views on the World Cup.


How important is it to go into the World Cup with momentum?

I think momentum is important but I also think that you have to get momentum early in the tournament, especially with the conditions in the Caribbean. The top 8 teams have all played good cricket over the last few months, at some point. We have to make sure that we get off the plane and immediately start playing the cricket we were in the CB Series. We have to get used to the conditions and take advantage of the practice facilities to give us the extra advantage. It’s a wide open tournament, it’s not been this close for a long time, anyone of those 8 teams can win if they have a bit of luck and get their big players performing.

The Caribbean is close to your heart, you own a property out there, how significant is this tournament for you personally?

It’s a great place; it’s one of the best tours. The cricket’s great, the people are great and you always have a good time. But the World Cup is a totally different situation than the 2004 tour for example. We’re looking to go out there and progress with the confidence we found at the end of the Australia tour. We changed our game plan out in Australia a little bit and it worked for us, so we will be looking to do the same out in the Caribbean.

It will be important to get off to a good start in the group stages which make New Zealand a big game.

Yes the New Zealand game is going to be a big one; but there are two potential banana skins in Kenya and Canada. Those games are a bit of an unknown but we have footage of them, we’ll do our research but you’re never to sure how they will play. New Zealand we know a lot more about and we know they are a great side.

Michael Holding said that he thought that the minnow should not be in the World Cup, do you have any views on his opinion?

You have to have them in there because we are trying to promote cricket around the world, we want it to reach as many people as possible. Take Sri Lanka for example, they started playing in the 1980s; they went on to win the World Cup in 1996. It’ll take a lesser nation to do what they did but you have to start from somewhere.

Who do you think will be the key players in this World Cup?

There are so many players its difficult to say. Every team has two or three match winners, maybe more. It could well be a tournament for a lot of the old staggers who maybe won’t play another World Cup. The likes of Pollock, McGrath and Jayasuria, the guys have played a lot and will look to go out on a high note. You have got the old brigade but there is a lot of young talent on show as well; Saranga, Bravo and Taylor of New Zealand all look like good players to me. It’s difficult to predict with so many good players involved. All the great names over the last 6 years are there.

Have changed your approach to the game while been out for a while with injury?

No, not at all. You get a frustration and you loose your sense of purpose because you are not playing. It’s been a really tough time and although playing international cricket can be draining it certainly beats being injured for 12 months.

Is posting a big total vital for a team looking to win the World Cup?

It depends on the surface you’re playing on, you have to post a total that is defendable on the wicket you have. To win the World Cup you have to be able to read the situation in front of you and make a decision at any given moment. As captain you have to read the pitch, the situation, where you want to be and where you are going.

Have you been happy with the young players that have come through over the last year?

The players reacted well to the whitewash in the test series. We took a lot of criticism and we lost a couple of One Day games but we bounced back really well. We are now focusing on the World Cup and using the type of game plan that brought us that success. We have to start fresh in the Caribbean under separate conditions. I’m not going to tell you the game plans that we have in mind but we’ve played much better since the change.

What are your views on Darren Gough returning to Yorkshire?

“I am delighted to hear that Darren may be returning to Yorkshire. He will be a great addition and he will bring back the identity of Yorkshire. He’s Yorkshire through and through and he’ll be great for the young guys.”

You’re long road back to full fitness must have been helped by Quorn.

I looked at players such as the Lara’s, the McGrath’s and the Pollock’s of this world and realised that these are the guys who’s careers have really lasted, they do everything right. They practice properly and they eat properly. When you get past thirty you have to look after your body if you want to carry on playing. It’s all about preparation, both on and off the field. You can’t force players to eat the right thing, you can advise them but in the end you have to leave it up to them, some are better than others!
When I am in training I eat a lot of it because it is such a good base of protein, throughout my rehab I used it a lot because it helped towards the rehab of my knee.

Tim May has suggested that there are too many One Day International games now.

I agree with that, England, Australia and India are the big three draws – in terms of spectator and media interest – in the world, the money spinners have to be monitored on how many little tournament are created over the next few years. You are seeing big names getting injured more and more now, the crowd want to see these players and the people behind these tournaments want to see these players as well. Guys are missing tournaments due to burnout or fatigue, the minute you hear the word ‘rest’ it suggests that you are playing too much.
Any big event has, and needs, a build up and an aftermath, the more congested the calendar becomes the less build up and aftermath there is. Rest is a big word in sport now, when you hear that word you know that the schedules are too packed.

Would you like to play for Yorkshire every now and again?

I’d love to play but there’s no chance of it anymore. The way the schedules are means that it makes it impossible. 2007 is a busy year, as they always are, we get back on April 30th and we play test match cricket on May 16th all the way through the summer and then we have the Twenty20 World Cup in September. After that we go to Sri Lanka and then come back to England for New Zealand, it’s a heavy schedule.
We spend a great deal of time away, I don’t want to criticise the system because it’s given a great life, but, if you want the best players playing then we have to make sure the schedules allow for rest and recuperation. It probably takes 2 years of your career but you play far more games than you didn’t play international cricket.

Could you explain the thinking behind Michael Vaughan Cricket?

It’s a week long camp for kids; I want to see kids taking cricket back to the schools and back it being played in the back yard and in the park. It’s something I am very passionate about, if we can get the 5 and 8 year olds playing and practicing ball skills and bring the fun brand of cricket to people.

Watching the West Indies in 1976

While watching the ESPN Classic replay of the 3rd Test match between England and the West Indies in 1976 I am stunned by the coverage.

In the midsts of some terrific batting by Greenidge, Richards and Lloyd there were some startling bits of play. My attention was grabbed during England’s second innings. Previous to this I had been hard at work and not that interested by the coverage, England were bowling. They bowled poorly and their fielding lacklustre. The West Indies were fed a banquet of half-volleys and slow, good length fodder. This was obviously fairly dull viewing for an English supporter.

Having had the game on in the background during the West Indies innings I was very surprised to see how the West Indian side bowled. Roberts was on fire, he was aggressive and dangerous. Whereas the English bowlers were blunt Roberts was sharp as a razor. Brian Close (without Helmet) was battered from pillar to post and lucky not to have his head knocked off on many occasions. John Edrich, Close’s opening partner, found batting so hard against the West Indian bowlers he could only make 24 in over 2 hours. At one stage a member of the crowd ran onto the pitch with a quickly fashioned cricket bat that was four or five times the size of a normal bat and handed it to Edrich, such was his inability to score of Roberts.

Call me sadistic but I enjoyed the fact that the batsman did not have all the protection that they currently do. I loved the aggresive bowling and the fact that the batsmen, when hit, stood tall to show the bowler they were not hurt. It is no wonder that the likes of Holding, Roberts and Garner are engrained in cricket folklore, they were new, they were different and they made the heart race.

Consistently Inconsistent

During the build up to the Cricket World Cup it has come to my attention that many of the ex-players I have spoken to count consistency as the most important factor in a team’s chances of winning the World Cup.

So does consistency come with playing more games? Or have the Australians changed the way we rate a team’s success?

Australia have certainly set a bench mark. Their record since 2000 speaks for itself; they have won 149 matches, losing 46 and drawing 3. England’s record is rather different; they have won 70 matches having lost 79 and drawn 2. Although this shows an unhealthy win loose ratio for the England team it also shows that Australia have played 198 games since 2000 while England have only played 151. The usual assumption is the India and Pakistan play many more ODI’s than any other side, but India have played 209 since 2000 and Pakistan 205.

Looking at the stats since 2000 it is noticeable that most teams have played a similar number of ODI games. England have played - on average - about 50 games less than the other major teams. Neil Foster [ex-England bowler] sees the lack of One Day experience as a key factor in their inability to convert good passages of play into victories.

In a recent interview with Ex-England batsman Graeme Hick he picked his top four sides for the World Cup. He decided on Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand and, patriotically, England. He was hesitant to pick England though because they “have been inconsistent and they are lacking experience”. Interestingly he also highlighted a selection policy that he thought hindered the teams development; “The likes of Australia have been preparing their side for two or three years whereas our side appears to have come together at the last minute.”

It is obvious that England have played fewer games than the big contenders for the forthcoming World Cup. But is it down to the fact that our selection policy over the last few years has constricted players from getting to know the One Day game and getting to know the team? The stats give some interesting reading, since 2002 Australia have played 38 players in their ODI team, England have played 58.

The England side have had a successful On Day International period out in Australia, they need to keep this squad together and try not to change things.

Interview with Brendon McCullum

With a few hours to go before the first ball how do you feel about the first game of the Chapell-Hadlee One Day Series between Australia and New Zealand in Wellington?

We are keen to bounce back after the disappointment of the Commonwealth Bank Series. I guess it is a luxury to be able to play Australia straight away, we have to be back on our game and it is something that we are all looking forward to, I hope we can kick things off with a win.

Is the World Cup overshadowing this competition?

Possibly, but we are trying to link them together. I think the World Cup will be decided on who has the most momentum going into the tournament. It is great to have the opportunity of playing really tough cricket leading into the World Cup; it just highlights the fact that we have to be at the top of our game.

The CB Series was obviously a disappointment for the New Zealand side. You seem to have a very well balanced side though. What were the team’s reflections of the series?

Yes, it was gutting to be honest but we took a lot out of it as well. During the series we played some outstanding cricket but also some below par cricket. We have to rectify the mistakes we made. The tough thing to take away from the tournament was that when we did play poorly it was during vital moments. If we can get ourselves into those situations again and deliver then we will come out on the right side of things.

With the World Cup just round the corner do you think the CB Series may be a blessing in disguise in some ways?

Yes and no, it certainly focuses the mind. When you hit rock bottom you have that real fire inside to rectify things and get back on top. However, when you are winning and playing well you have that momentum and confidence. It’s a double edged sword in many ways.

Can New Zealand be a real contender in the World Cup?

We are aiming to be there at the business end of the World Cup. During the last few years we have looked down the track to the World Cup and put systems in place to give us the best opportunity in the competition. We have put a lot of pressure on ourselves and we have sacrificed a few results for the bigger picture. But from that we have given ourselves a lot of depth, in terms of the squad, and we have also played in high pressure games in order to know how to react to those high pressure situations. The squad and the management are all under pressure to get to the final but that’s the way we like it.

Do you think the teams in the CB series will be in the semi finals of the World Cup?

You certainly expect England and Australia to be there, its not rocket science, Australia are the best team in the world and England are also right up there. England have got some serious momentum in the last few games so you would expect to see them there at the end. It depends how we all play in the conditions out in the Caribbean.

Stephen Fleming said that putting on a big total is vital, as a keeper how do the team look to bowl against that?

If you have the bowlers that can blast out teams then you have to look to take early wickets within the first twenty overs. If you don’t have those bowlers at your disposal then you have to try and deny the batsman the opportunity to make quick runs, which can be tough during 50 overs. If you can guarantee yourself to get 250 plus every game then you are going to win more than you loose, without a doubt. From our point of view that’s what we try and do because we know our bowlers will be there or there abouts.

Do you think that the wicket keeper batsman is the most valuable player in world cricket?

We’re getting to the stage where a wicketkeeper batman is very important to the make-up of a good One Day side. Gone are the days when you played an out-an-out keeper, wicketkeepers have to be able to contribute to the score, a good keeper batsman caters for two players in one. Most teams have one but there are other vital players such as Andrew Symonds, Flintoff and Jacob Oram who contribute with bat, ball and with their fielding.

There has been a lot made of Paul Nixons’ style of wicket keeping, what do you think is the role of the keeper?

I think Nixon hypes things up a bit, he’s a bit over the top and I think it would annoy the hell out of our team. There’s a time and a place for that kind of thing, in my view. As a keeper you are the focal point and at times you have to try and conduct the field a bit, but that’s always in conjunction with the captain. If the intensity isn’t there then you have to try and get it back somehow. You have to make sure the field is slick and sharp so that when opportunities happen you are in the best mindset to take it. Everyone’s got there own individual style and Nixon has waiting along time for his chance. He has made an impact on the England team but I can say that his style wouldn’t be suited to every team.

The tail must wag

With England securing a place in the CB Series final it does, for some, put a slight sheen on an otherwise forgettable tour.

However, this late awakening (typical of England in Australia) must not be jumped upon by fans as a sign of an upturn in fortune and form. There is still a big question to be answered by this England Squad and, more importantly, the management. Notably; what is the game plan?

A One Day cricket game is won or lost on a teams batting. The problem is that the batting has been unreliable and has left our bowlers with little to bowl at.

The bowling line up selected for the last game against New Zealand in the CB series was as follows; Dalrymple, Plunkett, Mahmood, Panesar, Flintoff and Collingwood. The stats can argue that Dalrymple and Mahmood are unnecessary to the way the team is performing.

If we look at the wicket takers over the CB ODI series it would appear that England should plump for two specialist bowlers; Plunkett or Anderson and Panesar. Then rely on Flintoff and Collingwood as batsman-bowlers and Pieterson and Vaughan as occasional spin options. With the wild card inclusion of Stuart Broad – not before time - England could put together a strong side for the World Cup, based on batting.

What the bowlers must do is to bowl tightly and economically in tandem with clever fielding positions and canny use of the power plays. This relies on the captain knowing his bowlers and trusting them to bowl to a plan. The bowlers mentioned would not be picked to take wickets necessarily but to restrict runs and tie up at least one end.

Anderson has arguably been the pick of the fast/medium bowlers during this long tour; he’s been consistent and accurate. He would be my first choice but with his constant back problems there is a question mark and Plunkett should be his back-up.

Mahmood, Lewis and Tremlett have all had their moments but would anyone have them in their World XI? Surely a team with any chance of winning the World Cup has to have at least one player who would make it into most peoples World XI . We have two in my opinion, Pieterson and Flintoff, and they are both batsmen.

My team for the World Cup:
Loye, Pieterson, Vaughan, Joyce, Strauss, Collingwood, Flintoff, Nixon, Broad, Anderson, Panesar

Top ODI wicket takers in the CB ODI series:
Plunkett 10
Anderson 8
Flintoff 8
Panesar 7
Collingwood 6

Interview with Sir Clive Lloyd

Sir Clive Lloyd

What are your memories of the 1979 world cup?

I can’t remember a lot of it really but I know that we were the best team in the world at the time. I remember the final against England very well, the innings of Collis King especially; he got 86 in 66 balls. Collis and Viv Richards both batting extremely well and gave us the impetus we needed to go on and win.

What are your thoughts on modern One Day cricket?

We didn’t have the power plays and the fielding circle for starters, the rules are a little different for sure. I think it’s all for the better though, in my time you could make a good score and then just site back and put men on the boundary. The fielding now is terrific , Australia have really taken that side of the game forward through sliding and picking up and throwing, it’s very exciting to watch.

Can the West Indies win the World Cup?

I think we have a very good chance; we’ve got to the finals of all the tournaments we have played in recently. In the last couple of months we have really been playing well. We have some very good young cricketers, so if we play to the best of our ability then we have a real chance.

Who do you think will make the Semi-Finals?

That is a difficult one. Australia are favourites, I suppose, but there are a lot of good teams out there. Sri Lanka, NZ, England could come into their own by then. Pakistan have a pretty good side, there are a lot of teams who have a good chance of getting into the semi-finals. Let’s hope that the West Indies will be one of the teams in the finals.

What do you think will be the legacy of the World Cup for the Caribbean?

We were the winners of the first World Cup so I think the West Indies should have hosted it already. I think it will be the best world cup ever, that will hopefully be the main legacy from this world cup. The best thing about this World Cup is that there are no Day-Night games; the weather in the Caribbean is perfect to bat in so games should be exciting to watch. I think the legacy will also be the grounds and stadiums that have been built and the wonderful time that the spectators are going to have.

How has the recent West Indies tour of India gone in your opinion?

Well we could have won more of the games; actually I think we could have won all of the first 3 games. We hadn’t played cricket for a whole before going out to India but it has given us a good run into the World Cup.

From the news wires....

Paul Kelso from the Gaurdian mentioned Cricket World in his weekly blog site titled the 'Digger'. Published; 25th January 2007.

"Broad brushed aside
The outspoken match referee Chris Broad has been gagged by the International Cricket Council after he used his column for the Cricket World website to explain his decision to ban South Africa's Herschelle Gibbs for two matches after he racially abused Pakistani supporters. The former England opener has contributed to Cricket World for three months with the knowledge of the ICC, but his views on Gibbs' outburst at Centurion earlier this month - the opener called Pakistani spectators "animals" - were too much for the ICC. Broad's gag comes as ICC chief executives meet to discuss the role of match referees after last summer's abandoned Test at The Oval. It is likely they will enhance the power of referees, and undermine that of umpires, by giving them the final decision on whether matches should be abandoned."

Sri Lanka in a Spin

England will tour Sri Lanka in November and December 2007/8. Sri Lanka cricket and the tourist board are looking forward to this as a significant period in their rehabilitation back to a popular tourist destination.

The rebuilding of Galle Cricket Ground, which was so badly hit by the Tsunami in 2004, has hit a few stumbling blocks. Due to the protected areas around the ground it has proved tough for certain issues to be resolved without the protected areas being affected. But this is a long term process.

It is fortunate then that Australia are not touring Sri Lanka any time soon considering that the $50,000 that Shane Warne promised to donate to the rebuilding of the ground has yet to materialize, some three years on. It appears that their fund raising team only mustered $5000, which they decided to keep. This was to meet the costs of putting the fundraising team together in the first place!

Let us hope that the return of the England team to Sri Lanka at the end of this year will be honoured. With fixtures yet to be confirmed and Sri Lanka struggling to entice tourist due to the Tamil Tigers it is a tour that is desperately needed.

Are you only as good as your last game?

As the Ashes move on to the short form of the game and South Africa clinch a great series win against India cricket boards seem in the impossible position of deciding how to get the best out of their more senior players in a packed schedule.

The England team have been roundly criticised for a lack of consistency but the majority are young and part of building process. However, the Indian management have started to question their big name players who simply are not doing the business. We saw Damien Martyn, after the 3rd Ashes test, take the decision to retire. Martyn was lauded for taking this step and it begs the question of whether senior players are given too much time to find lost form and make the contributions that they did in the past.

England’s central contracts are a prime example of this current situation. How do you get the best results from your senior players? Do you contract your players for the year giving them the peace of mind and security to get on with their game? Or do you rely on the desire and determination of those players to want to succeed in a more cut throat set up. It certainly can be argued that the more senior England players like Harmison and Trescothic have not benefited from the central contract system.

Certainly the likes of Sri Lanka have made interesting moves in this department. The re-call of veteran batsman Sanath Jayasuriya has proved a success, but he was scoring domestic runs. There will be fans of Surrey who would suggest that England could well have done with Mark Ramprakash this summer as he finished the domestic season with an average of over 100.

How many games should those big name players be given in order to produce runs, wickets or stumpings? Has it become more important to have well known players on the team sheet rather than players in form?