Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2022

Regular contributor and cricket broadcaster KEVINHOWELLS on why e Hundred can be a bad thing… and a good thing. Writing anything supporting the notion of the new ECB competition, the Hundred, is no doubt a puzzle to some listeners who tune in to my BBC county cricket coverage. It’s true I did some pretty robust interviews with anyone who fronted up - very few - to come on and talk about the need and details of this new venture. at’s my job - to ask questions - but too o en they are perceived as being what I think. Trouble is by trying to remain fair and impartial, listening to all views, means o en I forget what I actually think myself; I’ve realised I have my strongest, loudest arguments with those I totally agree with. A real problem in this age of social media division is my annoyance towards anyone who refuses to at least try and acknowledge an alternative view. In the case of the Hundred, that certainly applies to all sides. If you are genuinely worried about a game you cherish so much being threatened by commercial bodies and broadcasters, which in your mind rips apart the very core of what you love about it. ..I hear you. I hope I never lose sight of you and you never feel I don’t put forward your cares and concerns. I’m concentrating on what lessons we can learn from the Hundred which we can take to promote all in the game. During the drawn out launch of the competition - reading the comments section on social media channels - there was virtually nothing but negativity and some o en not very pleasant statements. In the end did that impact the competition? Whilst still in its edgling stage it seems not. My belief is if you believe in something strongly, ignore the negative ‘Noise’ and keep pushing with all your heart in what you think is right. I’m not advocating people in roles such as mine should ignore the truth. At times I was driven to despair at some of the incorrect facts portrayed as credits to the Hundred at the detriment of the already established game. I’m ‘pacing up and down’ at the moment and sending numerous texts and emails to people surrounding my concerns; that well meaning, worried county cricket supporters are placing Regular contributor and cricket broadcaster KEVIN HOWELLS explains his theory as to how e Hundred can be a bad thing… and a good thing. Is my view a sugar coated world which allows the corporate ‘few’ to take their money and run? 12