In the not too distant past the month of April would be highly anticipated around cricketing circles as it heralded the beginning of the centuries old English domestic season. Most of the best available players from around the planet would don the thick wooly jumper of their respective county and battle against the locals, the climate and often their own countrymen in glorious games on fields of green.

However, with the introduction of the IPL the cricketing focus has shifted and our friends in the UK, if the press, both mainstream and independent, are to be trusted, are despondent, confused and mostly in denial about the fate and future of their traditional and too oft-neglected home competition. Our man in the UK, The Tooting Trumpet, in typical Churchillian spirit, donned the stiff upper lip and is manning the trenches to keep cricket relevant in the land of its invention.

What is it that Keeps English County Cricket Going?

All around the rapidly changing world of cricket, if English domestic cricket is noticed at all, a version of my headline’s question isn’t far away. There are lots of long answers to it and one very short one. Here’s the short one - County Cricket Club members like it.

The Trumpet decided to take the plunge and fork out £150 for a membership of Surrey County Cricket Club based at The Oval, a ground both developing beyond recognition, yet steeped in history (cricket was first played there in 1845). Sunday saw the Trumpet’s first match as a member, notable for a magnificent 163 from returning to form Andrew Strauss - SurreyTV provides excellent highlights should you so wish.

So what does the County Member get for £150? First and foremost, a lot of cricket. Entry to all Surrey’s home games, including outgrounds and the sellout Twenty20 fixtures is merely a matter of showing the card. Important for families is the £15 Junior Membership which has all the County Membership benefits, plus goody bags - given that public transport is free for kids in London, there’s fewer better bargains than that.

Once inside the ground, another display of the card affords access to the magnificent Pavilion, alas currently closed whilst contentious development works are underway. Nevertheless, members were offered access to the debenture lounge in the equally magnificent OCS stand’s second tier, where beer was very reasonably priced with plenty of staff to serve a healthy (and thirsty) turnout. The Trumpet met friends there and enjoyed a day of decent, if not top quality, cricket (Strauss excepted) and excellent company. What more can one ask?

Well quite a bit actually.

Some 16 days after making his application, the Trumpet is yet to receive his card (and so gained ground admittance via his receipt). Applying online isn’t easy, but that saves a monumental £20 administration fee should you actually write in or even pitch up, in person, cash-in-hand (as I did). It should be noted, however, that every contact with Surrey staff by phone or at the ground has been characterised by a polite and helpful attitude that is a credit to the Club.

Given the vagaries of English weather, you would expect to be always informed of its impact on the game - but you would be wrong. On Friday, the County Championship game with Lancashire saw no play after tea, despite the light being dim but not dangerous - I know, I was there. After an hour supping a warmish beer, the covers rolled on without so much as a word from the public address. Needless to say, the televisions in the bar did not have the correct subscription to show Friday’s IPL games which were underway at the time. Come Sunday, the weather hadn’t improved much, but less than an hour before the start of play, there was no indication on Surrey’s website as to whether conditions were playable.

Friday’s lack of public announcements became more understandable on Sunday, when the Trumpet learned that such announcements were completely inaudible in any case. Worse still, two brand new scoreboards failed to show anything about the bowlers beyond how many overs they had bowled. When Chris Schofield completed his excellent spell, we were left wondering if he had figures of 1 for 40 or 1 for 25. Not good enough.

All in all, and after but one full day’s attendance, the Trumpet awards Surrey’s treatment of him with a 7/10 - a good start, but definitely a case of “could do better”.

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