CRICKET ‘FALLING BEHIND’
MICHAEL VAUGHAN reckons English cricket lags behind its rugby counterparts as it gets ready to change structure.
And after 12 years behind a Sky Sports paywall, the time has come to put some cricket back on terrestrial TV. The Ashes-winning skipper understands why the ECB took the money back then, but laments how the game is now in a battle for the hearts and minds of the younger English public.
“I think they’re playing a bit of catch up,” he said.
“I get really jealous on a Six Nations weekend – eight million people are watching a rugby match and cricket isn’t getting that kind of audience. Right now cricket has a problem because Joe Root can walk down his street and not get hassled. We need to make the game more visible and for Joe to get pestered.”
Counties meet today and will vote to continue the T20 Blast and decide on a new T20 tournament with eight city-based franchises.