Howzat! Should cricket allow ‘contrived’ results?

How Middlesex achieved its recent victory over Yorkshire to win cricket’s County Championship is far from new (Letters). ‘Contrived’ finishes to matches have been with us for years. My own team, nottinghamshire, won the Championship in similar fashion in the penultimate game against Kent in 2005. This drew sharp criticism at the time from ian wooldridge in the Daily Mail and from Shane warne, Hampshire’s captain, who held that this ‘brought the game into disrepute’. i pointed out that earlier that same season, Hampshire had beaten nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in another contrived finish in a rain-ruined match. My point was graciously taken. Back in the era of three-day Championship matches, last-day run chases were common, and i’ve seen some splendid examples of these at Trent Bridge. Meanwhile, it’s a good job Bert Lock wasn’t around in his capacity as inspector of pitches or Taunton’s ‘broken road’ idea of a good playing surface later in the season would have attracted his keen eye. in the match against warwickshire, for example, no fewer than 37 wickets fell in two days.

PAT GREEN, Nuthall, Notts.

I AGREE with those who are critical of the way in which the final match of the cricket season played between Yorkshire and Middlesex was conducted. It was obvious that something was wrong, but in newspaper reports and the TV and radio coverage there was not a word of condemnation of the captains’ antics or any suggestion anything untoward was happening. I heard the word ‘contrived’ used — for which I would substitute the word ‘rigged’. As a lifelong English cricket supporter, I’m bitterly disappointed at the conduct of the participants. I feel both Yorkshire and Middlesex should suffer some sort of points handicap at the beginning of next season, and Middlesex should return the trophy. I can only guess how Somerset supporters must feel.

GLENICE VENNER, Billericay, Essex.