Cricket whites: out of fashion for black Britons

[BallOil]

Under the carpet in the hallway of a victorian semi in south east London lies a piece of history. Well it’s a piece of history that hasn’t quite been made yet.

Percy Drummond calls the cracked geometric floor tiles in his hallway a “souvenir”.

He taught his son, Daniel Bell-Drummond, to play cricket here, while he sat across from him on the stairs. Much to the chagrin of his wife, he would spend hours bowling a tennis ball to a two-year-old Daniel.

Tap, tap, tap, would go Daniel’s cut-down cricket bat on the polished ceramic. The uneven red and yellow tiles bear the scars of a professional cricketer in the making. So the family decided the floor should stay as it is – a reminder of a hobby that became a passion, which may soon propel Daniel to the big time.

Daniel currently plays first class cricket for Kent. He has already represented England at U19 level. And those in the know suggest if his county career goes well over the next few years, he could get called up to England’s senior squad too. Read More

[BallOil]

hmm... Really? If so, what could be the reasons for the lack of interest?

[mikesiva]

hmm... Really? If so, what could be the reasons for the lack of interest?

A lot of black Britons have very little knowledge of their roots....

While British Asians still enjoy cricket, most black Britons gravitate towards football. Their idols are footballers such as John Barnes, Ian Wright, Jermaine Defoe, etc.

Those who don't make a career in football are more likely to take up rugby and athletics than cricket....

[mapoui2]

thats english cricket..always was..racist, elitist. they have priced black people out of the game that's what..deliberate policy.

they cant stand the way black people 'participate' in the sport. we must clap politely and keep quiet.

the english cant stand calypso , reggae and jammin' at the park

[mikesiva]

Maps, when Gils and I were at the Oval, do you know what type of musical interlude they had for us Caribbean and Pakistani peeps? Three guys dressed up as beefeaters, hammering away at drums!

No calypso, no reggae, not even any Bollywood music....

The article also points out that cricket is not played in the comprehensive schools...my kids went to comprehensives, and the main sports there were football and rugby. It was mind-boggling, considering that more than half the school population was of Asian origin, and they enjoyed cricket a lot more than rugby....

[mapoui2]

I know! I can see on the TV.

at least the Paks were making some noise in the west indies game.

with the state of the availabil;ity of the game to minorites of colour..or lack of it..Idid not/don't expect anything different from the english authorities. english cricket admin is still very 'RAJ" minded

their intent is to starve their game white..to keep it as white as they can...for as long as they can keep it up!

[mikesiva]

Unfortunately, Gils and I had our seats on the front row, right in front of these red-coated drummers!

Damn, they nearly gave us a headache....

[MarcusGarveyLives]

Percy Drummond calls the cracked geometric floor tiles in his hallway a “souvenir”.

He taught his son, Daniel Bell-Drummond, to play cricket here, while he sat across from him on the stairs. Much to the chagrin of his wife, he would spend hours bowling a tennis ball to a two-year-old Daniel.

I may be mistaken, but I believe Elder Drummond was one of those who came out to watch West Indies A against India A at Whitgift School back in 2010.

Anyway, there is nothing particularly new in the lead article:

WI support in England
http://www.windiesfans.com/forums/viewt ... 29&p=47724" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Will cricket live in Brixton?
The heartland of London's Jamaican community isn't as big on the game as it once used to be
http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/co ... 87094.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Saturday at Lord's, once a carnival now a crypt of codgers
http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cric ... 66977.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Why cricket lost its calypso soul (letters to The Guardian)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/ma ... sfeed=true" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Pride in the cricket team was once a prerequisite for West Indians. Not now
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree ... est-indies" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Dwindling Windies support reflects a great cultural change
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2007/ju ... ketseries3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Gils]

For the very same reasons Cricket is declining in the Caribbean.

Why more young Caribbean men or Caribbean heritage fails to honour such tradition over generations, as other test playing nations do, is a subject that's been chewed over from many different perspectives

To address the question directly. More choices lead to more possibilities.!

[Gils]

Alternately, less choice equals less opportunities.

Speaking from present day observation and experience, Cricket is played as a primary school activitie.

From the age of eleven to thirteen children attending state school, as I and the majority of children of school age in Britain did, are asked to play either football or rugby and, depending on facilities, budget etc maybe athletics or swimming or tennis. as a third option.

By the time they reach 16 to 18, the life path, for most part, has been plotted for the next 5 to ten years, maybe life

Children who attend private schools, on the other hand, are afforded all the facilities and resources, their parents will provide.