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Caught and Bowled Over |
October 2002
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Two-Division County Cricket Shines
To a genuine fan of cricket, there are only two types of people: traditionalists and infidels. Traditionalists prefer white uniforms, five-day tests, quote Wisden's chapter and verse, and loathe innovation. Infidels, well, they don't watch cricket. And for a time, it seemed the barbarians were at the gates.
More than any game in the world, cricket embodies a spirit and ethos of courtliness that has outlived the culture that spawned it. When the England's county cricket championship spilt into two divisions a couple seasons back, the traditionalists were enraged, but now, it looks as though the system has actually improved the game -- even the BBC commentators say so.
As in soccer, cricket sides now face the chance of being relegated to a lower division if their on-field performance is excessively disappointing. This means that many matches that were played listlessly in years past now matter. And while the points system appears in need of fine-tuning still, the innovations appear to encourage brisk play and sharper offense and defense.
Traditionalists needn't worry, though. The game has survived the development of the one-day international, and frankly, five-day test matches are a bit much for a working fan to attend. For the counties to play an invigorated game is all to the good, and whatever quibbles with the current system, matches that are played at season's end now matter.
Besides, any game that comes with googlies, silly points and breaks for drinks must be preserved even at the price of innovation.