England Cricket / Frank Gregan / 16 June 2008 /

Cricket is the new rock n' roll. The purists are up in arms but change, says Frank Gregan, is good.

Everyone who parted with their hard earned corn to watch KP's extradordinary improvisation in the ODI yesterday will be able to say: "I was there when..."

I understand the implications in relation to field placing and LBW but let's hope that the shot is not banned. It was tremendous entertainment and entertainment has to be the name of the game if cricket is to become the new rock and roll.

When interviewed afterwards KP said somewhat tongue in cheek that he was just trying to cement his place in the side for the forthcoming lucrative match in Antigua. The prize money being put up by Sir Allen Stanford has been a talking point during the past week and there is little doubt that the sums of money involved could change the game forever. My view is that it is a classic case of market forces at work. In all walks of life people are paid the going rate and if cricket is set to enjoy the exposure that football gets then the players deserve to reap the rewards.

I used to be a part of a weekly golfing fourball. It consisted of a Premier League Footballer, a Conference National Manager, a County Cricketer who had a very brief career with England and a Firefighter. The person who contributed the most to society (the Firefighter) was the poorest paid. The best paid was the footballer and the gulf between his salary and the cricketer was immense. Yet both were at about the same level in their respective sports. The cricketer never complained as he was being paid for playing a game he loved and had he moaned he would have got an earful from the Firefighter.

However, the times they are a changing and the players are now starting to reap the benefit of cricket's growing popularity. Good luck to them. Not too long ago there was a goalkeeper I knew who chose to ply his trade in the Conference South rather than play first class cricket. His reasoning was that if he could earn a professional contract at any pro football club his family would be better off. I'm pleased to say that with the increase in player's remuneration he has been able to go back to what he does best, getting movement off the seam in the first class game.

I'm not sure how much the Black Caps are getting paid for their tour this summer but whatever it is it's way too much. They have been dreadful. They must be going into the second ODI with confidence at an all time low. The market reflects this and England can be laid at [1.52]. I think that is a very short price but having had my fingers burned due to the Kiwis ineptitude at the weekend I'll look elsewhere for my bet. I thought their openers did well on Sunday and I'll be hoping they can continue on Wednesday. I'll be looking to back New Zealand at [2.2] in the Opening Partnership Market. A match should be attainable at that price once the market takes shape.

Finally, with all this talk of finance I thought I would leave you with some words of wisdom handed down to me by my father. He said "I remember when fish and chips were three pence ha'penny, now the beggars are nearly four quid. Difference is I can afford them now, I couldn't when they were three pence ha'penny."

The times they are a changing - for the better.

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