Short description
Investigates the management of professional cricket in England. This title explains what is wrong with England cricket and presents a plan that would help to improve the national team and open up the game for fans.
Long description
Based on extensive research and interviews with leading sports executives, Pommies is the first book to investigate the management of professional cricket in England. Three years after the great Ashes victory in 2005, the England team has reverted to type. In 2007, it lost three out of four Test series and got nowhere in the ICC World Cup and Twenty20 tournaments. Since 1987, Australia has thrashed England 34-9 in Tests and won four World Cups to England's none. Today, Australia has five cricket stadiums with more than 30,000 seats to England's none. Their team is accessible to all on Channel Nine, but England fans have to pay GBP400 a year for Sky. Using Australia as the model and inspiration, Pommies explains what is wrong with England cricket and presents a radical plan to improve the national team and open up the game for fans.
Review
This well-written book explains why so many of our players are injured and why getting to see England in action is so much - harder than it could be. Strongly recommended. - Paul Burnham, Barmy Army Co-Founder Buckland makes some startling points which go a long way towards accounting for England's decline since the Ashes victory of 2005. - Wisden Cricketers' Almanack 2008 Fascinating. Asks the right questions about the way cricket is run and answers them too. - A revelation. - Bob Willis Opinions on English cricket are varied and often prejudiced. This well-researched book fills an important gap. - Mike Atherton