White-Flannelled Workers
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HANNEL5 disgruntled players headed for the (then) lesser counties of Leicestershire and Somerset. The distinction between amateurs and professionals was abolished in 1963. Wage bills went up, at a time when attendances - especially at weekday county matches - were declining. In 1967 the Professional Cricketers Association was formed. Commercialisation became impossible to resist. 'Brigh- ter Cricket' - principally in the form of one-day competi- tions - now became impera- tive, to attract crowds and television coverage. The Gil- lette Cup began in 1963 and Sunday cricket arrived in the form of the Cavalier matches (1966-8), then the John Play- er League (1969). In 1972 the Benson & Hedges Cup was introduced, and the county championship itself slimmed down. Clubs, led by lowly, Botham surrounded by the tricks of the trade, that have made his fame and fortune petit-bourgeois Leicester- shire, began to dabble in sponsorship on their own account. White-flannelled The proliferation of one- day cricket, along with the admission to the county workers championship of overseas players in 1968, raised Even those most careless of Professional players, al- mate of the 1950s these mas- doubts about the national the game of cricket have though in a majority at the ter-and-man relationships side. Enormous importance heard of Ian Botham. He's county clubs, were subject to seemed less viable and an has always been attached by cricket's living news item. caste-like restrictions: they increasingly impatient the MCC to success at Test And, as an anxious nation changed in separate dres- sports press told of ructions level. It was a vindication of witnesses his robust con- sing-rooms, took the field at the clubs. Northern clubs, Englishness, as opposed to tribution to England's cur- through different gates, ate surrounded by professional whiteness. rent tour of Australia and his their meals at another table leagues, seemed especially Pelham Warner, an England bitter departure from Some- and were distinguished on reactionary in their dealings player of the turn of the cen- rset County Cricket Club, official score-cards by hav- with staff. At Yorkshire, for tury, once asked a bishop if it this seems a good time to ing their initials placed after example, professionals and was wrong to pray to beat the examine the social world of their names. Pros were amateurs stayed at different Australians. He was told: professional cricket that he obliged to bowl at amateurs hotels and, according to Fred 'My dear Warner, anything inhabits, and his place in its in the nets and to do menial Trueman, a Yorkshire player which tends to increase pre- history. It's a story, essen- tasks around the club. In the in the 1950s, amateurs were stige for England is worth tially, of social class and winter many of them eked paid more in expenses than praying for'. Test matches ethnicity. out a living doing manual professionals got in wages. against Australia, which be- Cricket's county cham- work. At Lancashire, captain Bob gan in the 1870s, have always pionship was formed in 1873 This situation survived into Barber also stayed in a sepa- seemed in recent times to but not recognised by the the post-1945 era, when coun- rate hotel and was known to have the keenest ideological game's aristocratic gov- ties continued to employ be- send players out of meals for edge to them, with the erning body, the MCC tween 20 and 35 profession- not wearing blazers. When mother country seeking to (Marylebone Cricket Club, als. County captains were al- Barber left, Lancashire assert its moral superiority founded 1782), until 1894. ways amateurs, usually edu- promoted Repton-educated over an ex-colony which rep- The first-class game based cated at public school. Eng- Jeff Blackledge from the 2nd resented an ungentlemanly itself on the localised values land's first professional cap- XI to captain the side, pas- and over-competitive brand of the county and was admi- tain, Len Hutton, was not sing over seasoned pros like of capitalist culture. nistered by devoutly appointed until 1952 and he England's Brian Statham. This ungentlemanly capi- amateur patricians, thereby responded gratefully by England batsman Tom talism asserted itself with a setting its face sternly trying (without complete Graveney left Gloucester- vengeance in the 1970s. In against the professional success) to lose his York- shire for Worcestershire 1977 the short pitched fast- leagues which flourished in shire accent. when CTM Pugh was made bowling of Australians Denis the North. In the changed social cli- Gloucester captain. Other Lillee and Jeff Thomson led 38 MARXISM TODAY JANUARY 1987 CHANNEL 5 to the adoption of protective English village green tradi- headgear - now almost uni- tion - a batsman who, even in versal - by batsmen. The Test matches, is going to go same year Australian media out there and clobber the tycoon Kerry Packer, angry ball, come what may. This at being refused exclusive romantic notion of batting rights to the Test series for appears to have been behind his Channel 9 TV station, the crisis at Somerset, for organised his own series and whom he has played since signed up most of the Eng- 1973. Ian Botham and his land and Australia teams to friend, West Indian captain play in it. To make matters Vivian Richards, Somerset worse for the MCC, he work- have had two of the most ed in league with the then exciting batsmen in the England captain, South Afri- game's history. can-born Tony Greig, and, But Somerset's recent re- when Greig and Packer won cord is not good and what a High Court action against counts in the modern county the Test and County Cricket game is success: this alone Board, there were fears of attracts crowds and, of further defections by Eng- course, sponsors. Somerset land players. captain Peter Roebuck, a led- These defections were ger clerk of a player who averted only when David accumulates runs unglamor- Evans, proprietor of a large ously (but more often) and is cleaning combine, guaran- reporting the present Eng- teed certain payments to re- land tour for Murdoch's Sun- maining England players. day Times, has judged that in But Evans proved to be no cold statistical terms retain- gentleman himself when, to ing the highly popular the consternation of the au- Richards, and his West Indi- thorities, he declared his mo- an team-mate Joel Garner, tive to be not patriotism but was not justified. He, and his 'the publicity'. (Evans is now allies at Somerset, must have chair of Luton Town Football known that Botham would go Club and Conservative too, in sympathy. candidate for Welwyn and The model of Englishness Hatfield.) The following that Botham offers is some- year, a Test series in England times dispiriting. He shoots was sponsored for the first animals and decries animal time - by Cornhill Insurance. rights campaigners. He's Although this was a gesture aggressively masculine and from the high status elite of a self promoter, having only finance, it must have seemed recently dispensed with the to the cricket authorities that services of an agent who had few barriers to vulgar com- promised to make him a film mercialism remained to be star. He complains of the breached. popular press but is con- Ian Botham represents tracted to The Sun. many of the things that those But Botham is enormously in charge of the English generous - witness his char- game fought throughout this ity work - and it's worth re- century to keep in check. A membering that he's leaving genuine working class hero Somerset out of loyalty to who, many of his admirers Richards and Garner. Their would be surprised to know, sacking, as I understand it, has endorsed Tory candi- has no significant racialist dates and opposed socialism element. But when last sum- ('... because you have to go mer Richards received ra- out there and do it yourself), cial abuse from a crowd at he has often disdained the Leeds (Yorkshire itself English cricket hierarchy selects only players born and their gentlemanly civili- within the county and despite ties. His brawny masculinity the huge settlement of Asian and fiercely competitive na- families in cities like Brad- ture have, as the popular ford in the 1950s, none of press have recently them has hitherto been observed, made him almost black) Botham was angry more like an Australian play- and unequivocal in his er than an English one. condemnation. • Yet he is also a hero in the Stephen Wagg 39 MARXISM TODAY JANUARY 1987.