Talking Cricket column: Bring on the Flumps (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Talking Cricket column: Bring on the Flumps

8:40am Thursday 3rd June 2010 in Talking Cricket column By Matt Donlan, Sports reporter

CRASH, bang, clatter and wallop...Twenty20 is back – and the tills of bars of the local league clubs should be ringing.

The Lancashire League and Northern League competitions are up and running and the Ribblesdale League gets going next week.

Of course, everyone needs good weather to make the events a success but the signs are there.

And while the shortest format of the game isn’t really my ideal choice, it is good fun as the events of last Friday night around the Lancashire League grounds showed.

New faces are attracted through the gates and you never know, if they like what they see they may even make a return visit for a proper game.

And let’s face it, whether you like T20 or hate it, games raise proper money for clubs through the bar takings and that is essential in the current climate.

That in turn helps them survive and even prosper and that can only be a good thing because no-one wants to see clubs struggling.

But for me, the best part of the T20 night is the DJ playing the music that greets each batsman.

While I appreciate that isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, it does entertain younger fans.

And the bemused looks from the players as they sometimes realise the tune accompanying them to the crease isn’t quite what they requested is worth the admission money alone on game night.

T20 is ripe for a spot of bribery and corruption and most DJs would happily play a different record for a small fee – a pint of beer will suffice in the case of the DJ at my local club – and that can only add to the entertainment value.

So come on assorted DJs, get your act together and enter into the spirit and take the chance to have a laugh at the expense of the players.

And I think every DJ should greet at least one player from each team should be greeted with the theme tune from The Muppet Show, Bill and Ben or The Flumps.

There is no funnier sight – and every team must have a player who looks like Pootle Flump.