The demise of The Summer of Cricket.

Ok I don't do "scathing" too well but I feel I have just cause to attack not only the former broadcasters of Cricket, New Zealand Cricket, and the whimpish Kiwi Cricketing Public that allowed this to happen.

Yesterday, the first day of Plunket Shield cricket for 2013 should have been a good day right?  Ok, Otago were in dominant form and Radio Sports "Score Updater" kept us up to date as best she could.  But sadly she was neither versed in the nuances of cricket, had poor diction, and just generally struggled to give the listener any insight into her knowledge of the game.  Murray Deaker would have been better just reading off the BlackCaps.co.nz live feed than that poor lady.

We well know that our leading sports broadcasting station has been tearing itself away from anything cricket for some years now.  Last season they showed their true colours by having no live updates from knowledgeable cricket commentators and opted for the teleprompter instead.  At least those updates were done by someone with a cricketing background.  But what of the cricketing public.  Largely the uproar from cricket fans at Radio Sports decision was to lay meekly down and whimper out of the argument.  And that's the kiwi way.  So what of the game here?

Well it must be in dire straits.   NZ Cricket obviously can't find the finance to keep commentators on at each game, and conversely can't afford to pay Radio Sport the money to keep broadcasting of the games on the radios.  Good business sense or just plain stupidity?  Bit of both really.  But I shudder to think what could be in place if some aggressive marketing was put in place by the governing authority to bring The Summer Of Cricket to the airwaves for all those loyal fans that are sitting with their transistors at the beach or on a run somewhere with the iPod turned right up waiting to here lucid and educated commentary. On every ball, at every match (yeah just like the good old days).  So who gains from this avenue of thinking?

Well no one really.  Let's start with NZ Cricket, not the governing body, but the game.  Is it prudent to suggest that if the local games are not covered by media that sport will lose an avenue of recruitment not only in playing numbers but spectators, be it at the park or on air. New Zealand Cricket MUST recognise that having "their game" on the radio or TV amounts to increase in playing numbers and people through the turnstiles.  It's called advertising.  The current score updates on RS are far from advertising, it's almost as if Radio Sport treats them as nuisance factors.

I am well aware that a majority of former listeners now follow their cricket matches on BlackCaps.co.nz and get great statistical joy from that.  I do (forced to)!!  But boy how I miss say Ron Snowden or Garth Gallaway giving us not only say Jesse Ryder's path to 100, but also the manner in which he did it, how he handled which bowler, the makers name on the blade, and how far those five sixes sailed over the boundary and which boundary.  And those Francis Payne stats?  Seriously where has it all gone and why?  It can't just be down to money, there has to be a plausible explanation from both NZ Cricket and Radio Sport as to why they have fallen out with each other?

It's also fair to say that this too extends to coverage on television of domestic cricket.  We get all the Warriors games covered, we get all the ITM Cup games covered, but cricket maybe gets one little snippet every now and then and mainly if there is controversy involved.  Cricket IS our Summer Game.  Thousands play it, and hundreds more listen/watch.  Do those playing the game justice and give them their moment in the limelight, make their efforts and rewards our rewards too.  Find the money NZ Cricket and Radio Sport and give all us Kiwi cricket lovers a break and get Ball By Ball back on the air.

Oh and just to add, Bryan Waddle has confirmed he will be covering the tests in the 2013/14 season but I'm sure there wan't be any lengthy Ball By Ball on RS.