https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2022/04/05/jonathan-agnew-exclusive-frustrates-bbc-loses-cricket-rights/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr

Agnew's longevity is such - he made his county debut for Leicestershire in 1978 - that he is well placed to judge both the foibles of English cricket and the changing nature of how it is broadcast. He became a cricket fan because of TMS, his father encouraging him to listen to the show as a boy on the family farm in Cheshire.

Times, though, have changed. Overseas tours, for a start, are no longer part of the show’s remit - a point of contention.

The days of overseas tours being covered in person by TMS are long gone
The days of overseas tours being covered in person by TMS are long gone CREDIT: PA
“I find it frustrating when we don’t have the rights," he says. "I do understand money is tight. TalkSport are in the market to do cricket. If they are going to pay money, cricket administrators want that. I just hope there remains an obligation to cover cricket for the BBC. I’d like to hope TMS will stay.”

Not least, he says, because he believes the show still acts as a recruiting sergeant for the game’s enthusiasts.

“Young people listen in. One of our biggest audiences is students revising. I would suggest, particularly with cricket not on free to air television, radio is the most accessible way into the game. Plus when I started [on TMS], I was 31 and easily the youngest member of the team. Everyone was an old white bloke. It is a much more diverse commentary team now - I mean it's a rarity now when a woman isn't commentating - which makes it more appealing to more people.”

Though he worries that, given the way things are going, there will soon be no Test matches to commentate on.

“If Test cricket were to disappear, and I fear one day it will go, it will never come back. What a shame that would be. I find myself having to defend it, point out when you get a really good Test match what a proper challenge it is. The whole thing is a shifting process which one day cricket isn’t. What annoyed me with The Hundred last year was the subliminal message that you only get the great atmosphere in that form of cricket. All those reporters telling us people are having a brilliant time. As if they don’t have a brilliant time at the Test.”

RH

On Tuesday, April 5, 2022 at 11:44:43 AM UTC+1, RH wrote:
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2022/04/05/jonathan-agnew-exclusive-frustrates-bbc-loses-cricket-rights/?li_source=LI&li_medium=liftigniter-rhr

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Agnew is correct when he says he fears that Test cricket will become a thing of the past . He might well have said first class cricket generally will become defunct.
The skills and mentality required to play first class cricket (including Test cricket ) are simply being lost particularly in the batting . Hence the ridiculous stances stances which the likes of Rory Burns and Dom Sibley are suffering under (which they did not have when they first came into FC cricket) , hence the lack of patience when batting, hence bowlers bowling to contain not take wickets.
The only cure is much more Championship cricket played, including by players who are regular England choices.

RH