The game will go on despite radio waves

Despite constant innovations, cricket remains inexorably linked with nostalgia. It is seemingly endless childhood summer days; gentlemanly behaviour; sweltering car-trip company and transistors in bed in the winter darkness.

Hence why Thursday’s announcement by Radio Sport that it wouldn’t be renewing its contract with New Zealand Cricket was greeted with outpourings of grief and anger. Some compared it to a death in the family.

What has a pleasing emotional connection for most cricket fans is about to end – but only in its current form. There was an immediate over-reaction from some that we’d no longer be able to hear Black Caps games being broadcast, which clearly isn’t the case.

Instead, as you did with one-day cricket, Cricket Max, Twenty20 and now The Hundred in England, we may get a slightly different product from what you’ve grown up with, but it’ll still be something you’ll consume.

We’ve managed to survive the passing of Sports Roundup, with its day-long Plunket Shield commentaries from all three matches. Instead we have live scoreboards and constant video highlights. The argument as to which is better will be a personal one, but needs to be tempered with the awareness that nostalgia is a yearning for an idealised past – a ‘‘screen memory’’ that leaves out the bad bits and promotes the pleasurable.

So a visceral reaction to the news after New Zealand Cricket summarily dismissed NZME’s half-tracker five-year rights delivery to the midwicket boundary and NZME, in their turn at bat, sent NZC’s gentle two-year gentle offspin deal back over the bowler’s head, is understandable if premature and misguided.

We’re still effectively late on day two of a five-day broadcast deal battle.

There are limited options for a radio partner for NZC – but that’s not their only avenue for cricket commentary.

NZ Cricket earlier this season announced a new six-year television broadcast deal with Spark Sport, meaning cricket next season will be live-streamed instead of being on pay TV.

‘‘Live streaming is the future,’’ NZC boss David White said at the time.

‘‘It allows viewers to free themselves from fixed linear schedules to watch live, delayed, highlighted or clipped content when and where they choose, and on a wide range of devices.’’

That appears to be a hint as to which way NZC is looking towards their ‘‘radio’’ commentary partnership. Or, the game’s governing body here may even ponder not having a batting partner.

There is clearly scope for NZC to produce their own content. The organisation currently runs a website full of news, videos, photos and live scores and has a strong social media presence.

For those already pining for the expected absence of Bryan Waddle and Jeremy Coney, New Zealand’s veteran cricket commentators could always contemplate a new contract, should it be offered.

Maybe what fans eventually get will be better. Change is inevitable – it’s not always welcomed, but nor is it always bad.

It pays to remember that.