UFO Info Week-End

Ours is a game for the players not the spectators

Ours is a game for the players, not the spectators.” At the Oval cricket ground yesterday, there was a mixed response to Lord MacLaurin’s demand for drastic changes. “I think he [Lord MacLaurin] perhaps regrets the reference to croquet,” he said “It was just a flip comment Cricket is a professional game It’s a completely different animal. “I don’t understand why the England cricket team doesn’t do better,” he said.The association’s secretary, Nigel Graves, said there was no comparison between the two sports. Australia has secured it but twice, and the latest of those in 1935, according to the Croquet Association.The sport also boasts a five-times world champion, Robert Fulford, from Colchester, who has the twin claims to fame of being in his early 30s (he is 34) and having travelled across America and Australia as a croquet bum during his younger years. While the cricket team has failed to win back the Ashes since the 4-0 drubbing delivered in 1989, Great Britain has won the four-nation Mac Robertson Shield 10 out of the past 15 times. As if to underline the point the England team toiled unproductively in the field yesterday on the first day of the final Test against the South Africans.It is an experience unfamiliar to their croquet counterparts. At least the British croquet team can beat the Aussies.Lord MacLaurin warned yesterday only a thorough overhaul of the domestic game could prevent it becoming the “summer sport that was.”If cricket is to survive in this present environment, drastic changes have to be made,” he told the Today programme on Radio 4, and called for the shedding of 200 professional cricketers and a cut in the numbers of county sides.

In an almost entirely doom-laden prophecy Lord MacLaurin, the former head of the England and Wales Cricket Board, warned that the country’s once pre-eminent sport faced its future as a niche sport such as croquet.
But aficionados of the hoop and mallet – average playing age 70 – pointed out this may not be such a bad thing. New ball taken after 83 overs at 355-3.Gibbs’ 50: 121 min, 93 balls, 10 fours 100: 221 min, 167 balls, 20 fours, 1 six. 150: 270 min, 215 balls, 28 fours, 1 six.Kirsten’s 50: 111 min, 84 balls, 9 fours.ENGLAND: M E Trescothick, *M P Vaughan, M A Butcher, G P Thorpe, E T Smith, ? J Stewart, A Flintoff, A F Giles, M P Bicknell, S J Harmison, J M Anderson.Umpires: S J A Taufel (Aus) and S Venkataraghavan (Ind).TV Replay Umpire: J W Lloyds.Match Referee: R S Madugalle (S Lanka).. However, surely this should have taken place at a more convenient time. South Africa were on 111 for 1 and Stewart, Vaughan and Mark Butcher, along with three of the England captains the Surrey veteran had played under, looked uncomfortable as they were interviewed by Mark Nicholas, Channel 4’s front-man.Nobody, not even those who feel the selectors should have already replaced Stewart with a younger model, would begrudge the career of England’s most capped player being recognised in such a way. England’s new captain has been under pressure since taking charge but had a good day organising his side. The 28-year-old alternated his bowlers well and was active in the field but would not have been happy with what took place at lunch.On a day when his side needed to be totally focused on the task of defeating South Africa, the last thing Vaughan would have wanted was to spend 20 minutes of the lunch break standing in the middle of The Oval waiting for Alec Stewart to be presented with a bat to commemorate his final Test match.

After batting for more than 11 hours on the minefield at Headingley, the nuggety left-hander must have felt he was in paradise here batting on a pitch whose bounce he could trust.Indeed, following several well-timed drives, there were times when Kirsten looked to be enjoying himself too much and he was cursing himself when he walked off having added 227 with Gibbs in their record partnership for South Africa at this ground.After losing an important toss Vaughan would have expected a long hard day in the field as he left Smith at 10.15am to tell his bowlers the bad news. Each time an England bowler erred, the ball was cracked to the fence and the fact that all but 37 of his 183 runs came in boundaries gives a good indication of the lack of pressure the home attack generated.On the rare occasion they managed to create a chance either the umpires, who turned down two strong lbw appeals before Gibbs had scored 50, or England’s fielders – Martin Bicknell and Mark Butcher shelled two difficult catches immediately after he had scored his century – failed to help.Gibbs predictably gained excellent support from Gary Kirsten who looked well set for his third Test hundred in four innings before he missed a sweep at Ashley Giles on 90. The elegant right-hander, with a glorious array of drives, cuts and hooks, celebrated the event by scoring his 10th Test hundred.There were periods, after Gibbs carelessly ran Smith out for 18 in the morning session, and then whilst Stephen Harmison attempted to rough him up with a succession of short balls in the afternoon, when the diminutive right-hander had to work for his runs but these occasions were far too rare. The 29-year-old may throw his wicket away occasionally through playing the odd rash shot, but on this occasion his 50th Test appearance seemed to focus his mind.