Author’s Note: My Dad learned cricket from the rich-boys who played on pristine pitches in the overwise bombed-out city of Leicester. These were Grammar School (posh) boys and my Dad was definitely not allowed to play. He was from an averagely poor working-class background. What he did was cleverly make himself useful to these privileged fools – so that they would slowly let him into a little bit of their affluent world. This is how he learned to play cricket. Many years later, when I was a child, the BBC would screen six-hours of cricket on a Sunday – I think BBC 2 – and my Dad would explain the game to me. This is how I learned to understand the rules of cricket. My Dad went on to found Tiverton Town Cricket Club (or possibly “Tiverton Cricket Club”) as a player-manager – and I used to go with him as a child to roll the pitch a day before each match. On occasion, I would be at the game – mingling with the players – as I was young – I did not grasp “opposing sides” thing too well. This would have been during the late 1970s and early 1980s – or there abouts. I am of the impression that my Dad founded the club from scratch – but I do not know if there were other versions of it prior to this era. I remember the local newspaper – the Tiverton Gazette – printing the results from each game and you will find “P Wyles” batting and bowling! I think one of their best games was against nearby Kentisbeare. All this is recalled from memory – as I remember holding the local newspaper in my hand all those years ago. Before the internet – this was the equivalent of “being famous”. ACW (29.7.2026)
Apparently, whilst the human species was otherwise distracted by the Covid-19 Pandemic (in 2021) – Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) [founded in 1787] – in its wisdom – decided to change the term “Batsman” to “Batter”. As far as I am aware, “batter” is made when flour and water are mixed together – for cooking purposes. This explains why I have never seen a Yorkshire Pudding walk to the crease – to bat an innings. What it looks like to me – is that the MCC sneaked this change into the rules of cricket – whilst no one was looking (as we were all terrified of dying). Why dumb-down the rules of cricket to make it sound like US baseball? Amateur Englash cricket is premised upon “fairness” and has no money involved. I think the MCC made the mistake of assuming that by dumbing-down – the US market would be interested in cricket. No. If the Americans were that interested in ancient and sedate Celtic games, they would not have rebelled in the 1770s. Another angle is “inclusivity” – where the term “Batsman” might appear discriminatory to women, girls and possibly young boys. As this is the hill the MCC has decided to die on – why not invent a new term for the ladies – such as “Non-Male-Player”? We could shorten it to “Nemp” – and sooner or later we would all be none-the-wiser. Trans-women who play cricket have started a petition to adopt the terms “Tucker” and “Non-Tucker”. To date – the MCC has remained “silent” in the face of this request. I suspect the MCC has regretted this name change to the extent that its rhetoric has switched from that of exclusively supporting “Batter” (as a replacement for “Batsman”) – with the new party-line being that although “Batter” is preferred – “Batsman” is once again perfectly okay to be used (primarily due to all the complaints and resistance the change has attracted). That is quite a journey in just four-years. Hopefully, someone will adjust the records once again – so that “Batter” will quietly disappear (be washed down the drain of history) and never be heard of again – rather like Test Matches with unlimited days. We can live in hope.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 