Sunday's Presidents Trophy fixture is off as our opponents are unable to field a team. We are now drawn at home to our old friends, Marchmont, with the tie to be played by 14th June. Watch this space.
As Paul has pointed out elsewhere, concessions are becoming increasingly common in the Sunday cups. In 2007 4 of the 16 first round games in the Presidents Trophy and 2 of the 8 second round games were conceded. Last year it was 5 of the 16 first round games, 3 of the 8 second round games and 1 of the quarterfinals. (We had walkovers in both the first two rounds, before playing two ties and then virtually conceding the final ourselves). This year 5 of the 15 first round ties have already been conceded, with only two played so far.
There are plenty of explanations for this. We all know it's tough to get Sunday sides out - we've struggled badly ourselves from time to time. (A special mention here for the Huntly Seven - we'd thought we were Eight, but each driver thought one of the others was picking up Shammo, who was therefore left behind). At least a couple of the teams who've conceded thought they'd withdrawn from the competition. And after this mini-rant we're almost bound to fail to get a team out for the second round.
But, all of that said, I'm left wondering if there is enough appetite for Sunday cricket for the Presidents Trophy and Plate to survive. I hope so, but it's difficult to feel very confident about it just at the moment.
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Agreed, a problem.
ReplyDeleteAccording to HK and others, we had Sunday games every week in the 'old days' (the fixture booklet I have for 1987 includes a full schedule of Sunday games-and midweek league matches-we also had 4 Saturday teams...).
I’m sure Richard Sennett or Robert Putnam would provide you with a lengthy answer noting:
*less ‘free time’ due to changing work practices/ culture-including in the public sector (i.e. education sector-a key element of the club).
*changes in the nature of family life; especially the role of fathers.
What really holds us back in terms of getting sides out on Sundays/ midweeks is the lack of student-aged players; –those without work/ family commitments, prepared to play 3/ 4 times a week). In addition there is the lack of juniors-for which there are many reasons, only some of which are Cross-specific (e. g. lack of sons….:
*Lack of state school cricket.
*Concentration of junior players in elite clubs
*Far more competition for leisure time: so boys are less likely to play if they aren’t particularly good. If it is their main sport/ leisure pursuit, they’re likely to look to play where they have access to the best facilities, coaching etc.
You failed to mention the playstation and the curse of other games consoles.
ReplyDeleteFrom past experiences interest can be created for midweek/ Sunday games if a match/ fixture secretary is willing to put the time in. Initially one needs to arrange a range of fixtures appealling to the whole range of club players but on the back of this the match secretary needs a list of emails/ contact numbers to pursue players.
We have over 80 registered league players so getting out a couple of M/W sides and a Sunday XI should be attainable.
fair enough. But given the hours they put in to get 33 players out on a Saturday, it's probably a bit unfair on the match secretaries. Friendly matches tend to be organised by Coco-but he's usually asking people who have already signed up for playing two 'proper' matches in the same week.
ReplyDeleteOur main problem is getting good sides out for 1st XI Sunday and Midweek games.
Apart from the Huntly fiasco, we're generally able to get sides out-just not strong ones (e.g. our loss to Strathmore in the CS Trophy last year-we might have won with a full 1st XI).
Similarly we'll probably struggle to get 2/3rds of the 1st XI out next week vs Watsonian 1st XI. I think you can remember our last Masterton tie vs a Premier League team!-with 2nd teamers opening the bowling at Grange (though in fairness they did quite well).
the only way we can cope with fluctuating availability on Saturdays and (especially) Sundays and Midweeks is a bigger 1st team squad
(or one that includes more students).
But, the student issue is not so simple. With spiraling costs of living and tuition fees, even with Student Loads, most students need part time work.
ReplyDeleteI work on a sunday, and its very hard and often impossible for me to switch it. It is a small number of students who won't these days be working either a sunday shift, or a saturday night shift.
Another issue on the student front, is that an ever dwindling number of students are not staying in Edinburgh over the summer. When i was a first and second year it was very common for students to stay over the summer, work the festival etc.
Nowadays, when i ask around nets around the 2nd/3rd team, most of them are going home to play for their clubs in other parts of Scotland or in England. Again, its due to rising costs, a festival job now just doesn't pay enough to support students, other jobs are a lot harder to come by and people and head home to jobs they had before they came to uni.
James,
ReplyDeletegood points-
though they underscore my argument that
deeper social trends are part of the reason for
clubs like us struggling to get sides out on Sundays and Midweeks.
perhaps what we need are
more students like Shifty....
Perhaps the clubs contingent of investment managers should create bursaries for Holy Cross students to be available for all matches and not having to work! ;)
ReplyDelete