Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

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someblokecalleddave

someblokecalleddave

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Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

My wife reckons that Cricket is a Middle Class game. I must admit I originally come from a very working class Dock town (Tilbury) and cricket wasn't played at our school at all although we had the nets in our sports hall and that could be down to the fact that the games master was Welsh and was obsessed with Rugby? Tilbury did have a cricket pitch back then and it was used but I know that it went into decline and ceased to be used back in the 80's.

Where I currently live it's a mix of nice suburban (Middle Class) areas and more urban (Working class) areas. The cricket pitches are all in the leafier suburban areas and some of them are lovely and looked after really well by the council and the locals respect the wicket and walk round it and don't destroy it. Whereas my own team is in the midst of a fairly rough area 10 miles away in another rough area and we have to put up with Chav scum walking virtually through the middle of our matches whilst their Rottweilers and Pit Bulls chase one another or the trials bikes as they race up and down the perimeter of the pitch! Our pitch is in a real state and the council don't seem to give a S**t about it's state and neither do the locals. Is this because they have some kind of issue with the game being "Middle Class"?

The other reason my wife maintains it's MC is that to be involved in the game takes a far bigger financial committment with regards the gear you have to buy and the club membership fees.

Finally I don't really know the backgrounds of any of our national players but none of them seem particularly like ex council house tennents do they?
 
Re: Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

Is the game mostly middle class? I would say that it is to a degree but that it also depends on where in the UK you live. Further up north I think it becomes a bit more evenly spread.

From my point of view, I would say that growing up we were more to the middle class side of the line but not wholly so. I would say the same is true of a few of the other players that I played with.

Moving to where I am now and it's a bigger mix. I would hardly call some of the valley towns 'middle class' but most have cricket teams and some have very good facilities. Cardiff again has a good mix, although I guess it is more middle class.

I agree that the cost can be a turn off for many, if you ignore the kit then it can cost £5/6 per game and then there may well a club membership fee at the start of the season of anything up to £100 (maybe more in some places).
 
Re: Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

Do you reckon it's to the detriment of the game - does it give it the sense that it's not for working class people and therefore denies potential players accessibility. I know some of the players in our MPA team thought that the whole "teas" situation was ludicrous and they were intimidated to some extent by the whole "Poshness" aspect of the game (Wearing whites) and the look of a nice cricket venue - the immaculately kept field and it's pavillion etc?

I've got to say even though I'm staunch working class I'm very English in that I love our traditions and that includes elements of class, so the whole traditional aspect of cricket and it's sense of decorum I love. But I can see that it might put people off?
 
Re: Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

someblokecalleddave said:
Do you reckon it's to the detriment of the game - does it give it the sense that it's not for working class people and therefore denies potential players accessibility. I know some of the players in our MPA team thought that the whole "teas" situation was ludicrous and they were intimidated to some extent by the whole "Poshness" aspect of the game (Wearing whites) and the look of a nice cricket venue - the immaculately kept field and it's pavillion etc?

I've got to say even though I'm staunch working class I'm very English in that I love our traditions and that includes elements of class, so the whole traditional aspect of cricket and it's sense of decorum I love. But I can see that it might put people off?
Click to expand...

I can see that it may well put people but then it's the same with rugby to a point, they are all seen as egg chasers, from an upper class background.

Your point in the original post about the backgrounds of the England side, I can't vouch for their parents but I bet a lot of the players have good schooling due to winning scholarships because of their sporting ability.
 
Re: Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

Given the Cultural society in India;Cricket is termed as a passionate game.With a poor man to rich getting involved as per his capacity/limitations.
Mostly in the Club scenario;the middle class is looking forward to make a decent career out of it.
Whereas the rich and upper class takes it for fun and ensuring he gets full utilization's of his skills even if he/she is capable or not(the money invested should be fully accounted for) even if it is with or against the spirit of the game.
Since Cricketer's in India are glamorized into Semi-god's.
Anyone associated with Cricket is looked upon as a celebrity or with pride.
I was not aware until I started observing people(living around my apartment) getting intimated by my Cricket kit,driving to the club ground in my car etc.
Secondly;the cricketing admininstration is getting corrupted by it.There are people trying to cash on it.
Taking full opportunity of the passion and madness associated with the game.
Politician's will organise cricket tournaments to strengthen his vote bank or a businessmen with big political ambitions(at times to roll out his black money) or the inclination of Coaches,Umpires or the Selectors towards the people with big & deep pockets.

I don't know wether to address it in this thread but the article from Dave prompted me to add another dimension to the subject.
 
Re: Is cricket still perceived as being a Middle Classed game?

Yeah, Virender sums up the situation in India perfectly.
 
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