Early finish = more profits

Starting cricket matches earlier could bring a financial boost to your club’s finances, a recent survey has found.

According to a national player participation survey, starting, and subsequently finishing earlier has shown that players and supporters spend more in the bar afterwards as they are not in such a rush to go on to other events.

The survey also showed that just over 50% of players want to play 45 over games whereas the rest favour 40 overs.

With player numbers decreasing in recent years across the UK a national payer participation survey was issued to all affiliated clubs and the results show that most players (wherever they are in the UK) feel pretty much the same about the game.

The survey found that:

• The game can be too long
• The ideal time to finish a game is around 6.30pm
• Players are struggling with cricket/other commitment balance
• Spirit of the game is as high as it’s ever been.
• Players do not have full confidence in the ability of umpires.

The final point in particular brought out the ire among Pembrokeshire’s fraternity. Compared to a national average of 59% satisfaction of umpires, only 42% of Pembrokeshire cricketers are happy with the umpires assigned to them.

There was talk of ensuring the best umpires officiate in division one games only with the others taking charge of division two although this has since been rebuffed fearing a mass exodus of umpires from the local game.

A proposal to put forward start times was made at the county AGM a few years ago but it failed to get through with fears that players who worked shifts would be unable to play although with the realisation that clubs that have bars could prosper from this, that debate may come up again.

The quality of local pitches was also flagged up as a concern with 68% of respondents happy with the pitches on offer yet it’s believed the quality of pitches does not have a direct link with the decline in player numbers.

County Vice Chairman Paul Webb attended a national meeting that discussed these findings recently.

“The message coming from that meeting was that we need to make cricket inclusive and make sure it fits in with people’s lives.

“There was evidence from away saying that a club asked two players to fill in as a team was short one game and they both said yes providing they could finish by 6.30 so they could watch the European football final.

“It’s clear we need to discuss potential tweaks with the format of the game and I don’t see any harm in giving them a go.

“Perhaps we could use division five as an opportunity to pilot some changes and see how they go. In some leagues, batsmen have to retire at 50 (they can come back later in the game) and clubs are offered bonus points for using more bowlers as leagues try and encourage more participation so that players don’t get bored. Can we do the same in Pembrokeshire?”

Division Two batting and bowling averages

Ever wondered who had the highest batting and bowling average in division two last year? Well wonder no more as here they are courtesy of Paul Webb’s Facebook page.

No surprise to see Matthew Lewis leading the way with ball in hand but who had the best batting average?