A LEADING cricket commentator has criticised Essex County Cricket club leaders for pulling the plug on the popular annual Colchester Cricket Festival.

Henry Blofeld, who is best known as part of the BBC Test Match Special team, spoke in front of an audience at the home of Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club in Colchester’s Castle Park.

In November, Essex Cricket Club confirmed the historic Colchester festival would not go ahead this season at the picturesque Castle Park ground.

Despite some quarters citing financial considerations, club bosses said the decision was down to a difficult fixture calendar which allocated Essex just one home County Championship game in a three month period over the summer.

Gazette:

During his appearance at Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club, veteran commentator Mr Blofeld publicly questioned the reasons behind dropping the festival and criticised the decision.

He added: “Once a decision is made, it is difficult to change.”

The former schoolboy cricketer, who never played at county level, also praised the club for launching a £450,000 appeal to help it become more inclusive.

The cash once raised will be used to build ladies and youth changing rooms while a new outdoor decked area would also be created to allow the club to stage public events.

Mr Blofeld, 77, added: “I hope the developments planned at Castle Park would help Essex to change their mind and at least bring some T20 or one day internationals back to Colchester next year.

“First class cricket had been played at Castle Park for over 110 years and to see it off the fixture list is very sad indeed, but typical of the state of county cricket around the UK.”

At the time of the announcement Essex club chairman, John Faragher, said the club committee found it “simply not acceptable” to agree a plan which would see the County Ground not hosting a County Championship game for that length of time - which would be the result of playing that game in Colchester’s Castle Park.

He added: “This was a very difficult decision to make, the Colchester Festival week has always been an integral part of the season, with players and members always enjoying the experience of visiting Castle Park.

“However, the club’s committee decided that it was simply not acceptable to agree a fixture plan that would result in no Championship cricket at Chelmsford for nearly three months in the middle of the summer.

“Going forward, we will review this decision and depending on the fixtures, hope to see Colchester back in the schedule for 2018.”