PORTSMOUTH councillors aiming to persuade Hampshire cricket to bring first-class cricket back to their city are doomed to failure.
Councillor Jezz Baker believes a generation of Portsmouth youngsters will never develop a real love of cricket as long as Hampshire play all their home matches at the Rose Bowl.
"Hampshire County Cricket Club might as well be called Southampton County Cricket Club," he remarked.
Baker will tomorrow table a motion at a Portsmouth City Council explaining the need for Portsmouth to again be considered as a venue for first-class cricket.
Hampshire played at the United Services ground in Portsmouth every year until the Rose Bowl opened in time for the start of the 2001 domestic season, and the county have never been back.
Baker claims he has cross-party backing for his idea, but Hampshire managing director Nick Pike insists the county have no plans to play any games away from the Rose Bowl.
Baker said: "People in Portsmouth young and old enjoy watching first class cricket, but they can't do that at the moment close to home.
"Hampshire have been at the Rose Bowl for three seasons now and the new ground is firmly established.
"I'm not saying they should be playing in Portsmouth every week, but I can't see any reason why they can't re-instate the Portsmouth Cricket Week.
"Other counties do it. Yorkshire hold a Scarborough Festival week, and Headingley's a Test ground. I know Warwickshire and Lancashire also play matches away from Edgbaston and Old Trafford.
"I know there's always been a rivalry between the two counties, but this has got nothing to do with that.
"We are in danger of losing a generation of local youngsters to the game because they can't go and watch first-class cricket in Portsmouth.
"The local kids are the future of the sport.
"Portsmouth is not a rich city - the young and the elderly can't afford to go to the Rose Bowl all the time.
"Hampshire should be taking the sport out into the community, making cricket more of a community sport.
"I'm hopeful Hampshire will listen to what we're saying.
"I know money is important in sport, but I would say that promotion of the sport is just as important.
"With the right marketing and the right promotion, we could get more kids in the county interested in cricket rather than just maintaining the status quo.
"The people of Portsmouth deserve to watch first-class sport.
"The football team have done their bit this year and now we need Hampshire Cricket to do the same."
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