In last few years another serious question has become a key part of the season planning -- whether we want to play in a league or not. League fixtures often are a sore experience given the unprofessional attitude of the players and league leadership in view of the exaggerated competitiveness of the matches. Together with this, the financial burden (usually 300-400 Euros) more than often discourages young students from joining clubs. So most teams in big cities reach a state of stagnancy and teams in smaller city remain deprived of the new talent so necessary for them to remain competitive. All in all it seems that the amateur cricket leagues they way they are run currently, are not really doing any good for the development of cricket at the club level in the south Germany.
In last few years another serious question has become a key part of the season planning -- whether we want to play in a league or not.
In 2010 an amateur cricket league was floated in the state of Baden-Wuertumberg. It was supported by the German Cricket Board. There was a lot of excitement about it, perhaps being a new thing or because we were hoping for more organized and competitive games.
That season FNCC did not do too well. Still we bounced back after a disastrous start and ended up on the Vth place. In the T20 league we lost in the semifinal. We were for sure better than that.
But we decided not to participate in the league in 2011. It was decision taken based on the way the league was being organized. First, in the name of competitiveness most teams were very hostile to each other. There was no mutual respect and winning was the sole aim as if their life depended on that. Combine this with the complete unprofessional attitude of the league leadership and untrained and unqualified umpires. Overall we thought that we play cricket more for the fun of it and love for the game and winning/losing is something that is just a part of the game. Essentially FNCC players wanted to leave the ground with a good feeling not filled with animosity towards the opposition.
Once we sat down and did the math, we found that we paid some 200+Euros to get 8/9 fixtures and in return we also lost the peace of mind that comes with playing cricket. So we decided to step out of the league.
In 2011 we went solo and arranged out fixtures as we did without the league setup. We travelled a bit too much and played in total 12 games and lost just once. Perhaps the best season for the FNCC. It was a lot of fun and everyone enjoyed their cricket. So we decided to continue with the same experiment in the 2012 season.
This time around it was a bit sore experience. This was primarily because we could not arrange many fixtures. We had a great season going by cricket, but we mainly played Basel CC (multiple times -- in process forging a great relationship with them).
We noticed that most of the teams in our neighborhood in Germany and Switzerland were part of their respective league. Typically the league schedule is full and there is little space to have the so called friendly fixtures. This awareness was very disappointing and depressing. There was only one way out of this.
But we were sure that the leadership of the Baden-Wuertemberg leagues was practically the same with different faces and therefore that league was not an option. So we decided to go with our friends in Basel and participated in the Swiss League, which we later learned was one of the two leagues currently in a legal battle over their claims to be 'the swiss cricket league'.
It started out to be a good experience, although a bit expensive in terms of money. However, the way we were treated in the semi-final of the league has completely destroyed our faith in these cricket leagues runs by amateurs and people with vested interests which most of the times lie way outside the cricket field.
So we are back in the state to decide whether to go solo or become part of the sham some people consider a league.
I do not want to appear a capitalistic person here. But if we do the math we find out that the participation in any league costs something in the range of 300 Euros and costs for 'Neutral Umpires' which in my view usually are the most undesirable players of their teams. In addition we have buy the so called league balls. So all in all we get to pay something in the range of 600 Euros. The 'other' swiss leagues costs go as far as 800 euros.
In return what do we get? Guaranteed fixtures in the range of 6-10 matches depending on number of teams and how far we proceed in the league. There is not real prize money for the clubs who win or reach to the semifinals. Clubs like ours are always strapped for money and increasing membership fees only dissuades new players from joining. Moreover, many players just do not turn up because they find the hostility that comes in the name of competitiveness very very discouraging. So I wonder how do these leagues help the development of the game and teams.
More important I wonder where does the league membership money go? It is certainly not spent in terms of subsidising the club expenses or any other facilities -- at least FNCC has yet to enjoy the benefit of this membership fees.
Typically the leagues are run by people who are not there for the development of cricket but to exert their authority and in most cases completely unjust authority. Players who play in these leagues try to use cricket a way to boost their ego and if they are being hampered by others in reaching this goal, either by better play or by the laws of the games, the do not stop from breaching the whole essence of cricket.
By contrast, the non-league based matches are far more fun. People act like guests and hosts as opposed to two teams with sole goal to defeat the other team. In most cases irrespective of the result of the game, players from the opposition sit together share a drink and discuss the game. The short talks which often mature into long terms friendships.
With the financial burden (membership fees are raised from the players) and unfriendly nature of matches in many ways discourages new players to come in the fold. This leaves teams in big cities stagnant because people do not move so much, and are in a position to bear the financial costs. In the smaller cities there are more consequences -- if new players cannot afford to play then the cricket is greatly reduced in the places as teams in smaller cities are usually composed of students who come to the University for a short duration (one or two seasons).
So I wonder how these amateur cricket leagues are run and more importantly the higher organizations like German Cricket Board and Swiss Cricket Board must review their policies to better run the club cricket. What is important is that there is space for teams who do not want to play in any leagues to find fixtures. That is, the league schedule should have enough free days to accommodate friendly games. Second, it would help if the leagues fees could be reduced if not completely removed and teams are informed how the money is being used.
More suggestions are of course welcome.
The conundrums will continue throughout the season but I am positive that we will find a way to maximize the Cricket and Fun factors, despite the increasing complexity of the problem.
right arm over
Arvind
