Just had a browse through the main website- and sadly find that Peter Radburn- an Untouchable on here over the years- has popped up defending the ECB position that it is good to give your money to Murdoch and to deprive pensioners and children in poverty- particularly in what may be a difficult few years to come- of watching cricket on TV.

http://www.wccc.co.uk/news/news.asp?newsID=672

Peter wheels out some impressive figures...but my thoughts are these:

1. If pay-TV is so important, then how did we manage before Sky and Murdoch?

2. Surely participation figures would be higher if even more people could watch it?

3. What is the participation level of white, working class boys- social groups C2DE?

4. How has that changed since the introduction of pay-TV?

I could go on, but the point is made. When you attend meetings where ordinary people- the kind we all probably work and drink with- tell you that they haven't watched cricket since it left free-TV and that they can only afford Sky during the football season..and when someone says that cricket is a game for 'public schoolboys and Asians'..you do tend to care about such issues.

So don't panic, Peter! All will be well...Murdoch poorer and cricket suddenly more visible. I note the ECB haven't quoted the figures about take-up after the last Ashes win on Channel 4..maybe because they know it would sink their boat below the waterline.