Your pessimism about the proposed 100-ball game of cricket (Editorial, 28 December) echoes the prophets of doom – most notably the Yorkshire grumblers’ club – in response to the launching of the Indian Premier League, Australia’s Big Bash and the T20 county format. Yet all these “white-ball” formats have been successful in attracting children, families and men and women from different backgrounds and walks of life to cricket in very large numbers – something lacking in most “red-ball” county and Test cricket. They have also boosted the development of women’s cricket.
Beyond the boundary, it represents a radical shift to social inclusion, including a return to free-to-view broadcasting, next-generation recruitment, getting young people playing sport – and a funding base that will ensue the continuation of red-ball cricket.
Mike Stein
Pudsey, West Yorkshire
• Thank you for the stimulating editorial on the future of cricket. At the level of the game at which I umpire (Anglican clergy whose sledging creativity is surpassed only by their elastic exegesis of the laws), all is alive and well. It maybe helps the players to know beforehand that my answer to every LBW appeal is the same as my view on Brexit: “Not out!” I’m reliably informed that 90% of the time my ante-verdict is correct.
Fr Alec Mitchell
Manchester
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