Cricket Witness No 1 - Class Peace

123 Towards Classless Cricket? It was, then, not altogether surprising that the debate continued and that the Advisory County Cricket Committee late in 1962 determined by the not altogether convincing margin of eleven to seven to abandon the age- old distinction and to label all county players as ‘Cricketers.’ Thus did the quintessence of class in cricket end with some abruptness. The classic illustration of the cross-alliance was no more. The 1962 Gentlemen and Players match was the last of a series stretching back to 1806 and comprising 273 games. Although the Players had won double the number in which their opponents were victorious, it is interesting to note that they were by no means in the ascendancy in this last drawn encounter. The Gentlemen scored 323 in their first innings (David Sheppard 112; Ted Dexter 55; Derek Shackleton 4 for 101) and the Players replied with 260 (saved by a couple of late order heroics from Fred Titmus, 70 and Fred Trueman 63, with Trevor Bailey taking 6 for 58). The Gentlemen declared on 172 for 5 (Roger Prideaux 109) but the Players comfortably engineered the draw with 207 for 3 (John Edrich 77 not out, and Peter Parfitt 63). Before further examining the social significance of this decision it might be worthwhile listing the other reforms introduced at the same time or just after this eminent pronouncement. The merit in this lies in the sudden feeling in the cricket world that modernisation must be effected. The termination of the old-fashioned device of Gentlemen and Players was a preface to some minor structural reform, an intrepid dipping of the cautious toe into the waters of change. There were three major interlocking elements. In ten years beginning in 1963, three one-day tournaments were introduced which, compared with the calm of the previous fifty years, was restlessness indeed. The Gillette Cup, at first 65 overs, later 60 overs, was launched with £6500 funding, after a very close vote on the Advisory County Cricket Committee. It was followed by the John Player Sunday League of 40 overs in 1969 and the Benson and Hedges Cup, a combine of mini-leagues and knock-out play, in 1972. There was, as is well known, considerable massaging of the rules to encourage attractive batting with restriction on bowlers and field- placements. Next, it was decided in 1968 to permit counties to employ overseas players. Eligibility rules had been relaxed in general since World War II and the switch of players from one county to another had become more frequent but this direct boost to non-English recruitment brought many star players into the game over the next decades. Thirdly, and as the signing of the limited-overs competitions bear testimony, there was sponsorship. In place of the old-time dependence on wealthy patrons, English cricket pinched its nose and turned to the commercial sector and raised funds in return for advertising branding. The limited overs competitions certainly helped to bring back the crowds in some degree but whether they were in sufficient numbers to underwrite the high salaries of overseas celebrities is doubtful. The three novel