Sports Blog: World Cup shows the leagues are strong (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Sports Blog: World Cup shows the leagues are strong
8:52am Friday 25th March 2011 in Talking Cricket column
THE lament is a familiar one, league cricket is dying. It ain't what it used to be. We don't see any good pros anymore.
The traditional heartland of league cricket is the North of England.
Leagues in the North are still strong - yet people still say the quality of professionals is not what it used to be.
There are no big names, or so folk moan.
That may not be strictly true.
Take today's New Zealand v South Africa game at the World Cup.
No fewer than four former Lancashire League men are playing in the match.
Robin Petersen (Nelson) and Francois du Plessis (Ramsbottom) are in action for South Africa and Nathan McCullum (Rawtenstall) and Luke Woodcock (Church) are playing for the Kiwis.
The Aussies fielded half-a-dozen ex-Lancashire League men in the Ashes and Sri Lanka also have league representation.
And the West Indies vice-captain is no other than Brendan Nash, the East Lancs paid man for the past two years.
Of course the standard of the leagues may not be that good - but that is saying that international cricket is poor.
Because there are plenty of good 'uns still pitching up across the area.
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maltablackburnian says...
3:52pm Fri 25 Mar 11
Clubs also find it hard to get players to commit to what is often both weekend days for the best five months of the year. Families and other interests take precedence. I remember a time when someone had to die almost before a new player could fight his way into the second XI; i'm told that even East Lancs have occasionally struggled to put out two teams lately.