Keeping up with the Joneses – well other sports actually

Outrageous cricket shots like this enthral
crowds. Will a change in our format see
them played in Pembrokeshire

‘The older I get the better I was’, so said a T-shirt being sold in County Sports, Haverfordwest this summer.

While it’s true that memories of past glories stay fresher in the mind than failures, there could be a degree of truth in this witty idiom, especially if you pay attention to cricketers that have retired or are in the process if doing so as nearly all of them proclaim that the game in Pembrokeshire cricket is not as good as it once was.

They’ve been saying it for years which suggests that cricket in the shire is so bad that any fool could play it; or that it’s non-existent at all if indeed it has declined year or year.

The fact remains that playing from the sidelines no matter what standard is always easier than when out in the middle.

But have standards really dropped or are these the words of ageing players bitter that father time has caught up with them? The debate will rage on about that but the enthusiasm for the game is still there unless of course you play in the lower divisions where more clubs are finding it difficult to field players and despite the odd score in excess of 300, more teams are getting bowled out for less than a third of that.

The crisis in the lower echelons has led to the county club arranging an informal meeting on October 21 at Haverfordwest Cricket Club with plenty of items on the agenda in the hope that all of them will lead to the same result; that Pembrokeshire cricket, at all levels, will continue to thrive.

The day could go down in history as a watershed moment for the county club as well as for those that play. While no decisions will be rubber stamped on the night it could lead to an interesting AGM in the New Year when a few of them, if deemed plausible, will lead to heated debates between members and clubs.

While the season just gone will be remembered for good weather and great individual performances, next year could be remembered as one of regeneration, where no club struggled to raise teams and one where standards were raised.

The county club has encouraged everyone to start thinking about how interest can be maintained and it’s come up with some magnificent ideas.

Steve Alford of Pembroke Dock believes two innings matches should be played from division three down as 20/20 is the preferred game for most given it’s an exciting format.

There could be some mileage in that especially considering anyone can be out first ball which gives players a second chance of redemption while a lot of teams are unable to bat out 40 overs.

His idea has backing from a former test player too as David Lloyd was impressed with the two innings format of the Harrison-Allen final after it was filmed by Sky Sports.

Sean O’Connor of Fishguard would like to see a minimum of five bowlers being used in all games, with bowlers in division one and two being restricted to nine apiece. Divisions 3 and below should be eight with a maximum of four per bowler in cup games.

Ian Carter of Llechryd would like to see U15s reverting to being able to play on all-weather pitches while bowlers should have a maximum of 20% of available overs, yet the biggest contribution to Monday’s debate has come from Llangwm with some bound to stir the emotions of the county’s traditionalists.

Consider these:

• Would the meeting consider starting all matches earlier say at 1.15pm or 1.30pm?
• Are 45 overs too many or too few – should we consider reducing divisions 4,5,6, to say 30 overs?
• Are our player eligibility rules too restrictive?
• Should we try win/lose result for a trial period?
• Increase all divisions to twelve teams i.e. 22 league games a season. Downside would mean we would be playing every bank holiday and sometimes into September.
• Why should all cricket stop for the Harrison Allen Final?
• Introduce 30 yard discs with fielding constraints for both cup and league matches.
• Consider ‘Power Play’ for the first five overs of cup games and add a free hit off a front foot no ball.

Whether you agree with these or not there can be no dispute that if implemented cricket would be more exciting. The win/lose/ draw debate has plagued AGM’s for years yet a trial period would be welcomed by many, especially those without an understanding of the game.

An earlier start has been suggested at AGM’s before yet was beaten by a narrow vote. Is now the time to try it?

Powerplays in cup games would make it a better spectacle but would it mean a compromise in techniques or would it bring an evolution in play and just why should those without a realistic chance of playing in the county’s blue riband event be forced to have a weekend off when the Harrison-Allen final is played?

The simple fact is that cricket is up against it. There are more exciting sports out there to capture the hearts and minds of sportsmen and women.

Triathlon is growing year on year, water sports evolve with the speed of a tsunami while one of Wales’ finest skate parks is being built in Haverfordwest.

Whether standards will improve will be open to speculation but interest has to be maintained, for both the players of tomorrow and for the stars of yesterday.