Norman Tebbit dies at 94. Is it still Anyone But England
In his book Anyone But England, the sadly late Mike Marqusee makes the point that Norman Tebbit first raised the issue of who people cheer for at cricket in an interview with the Los Angeles Times in April 1990. His argument was that with a changing demographic who did those of Pakistani or Indian origin cheer for at cricket.
The argument was always and remains fallacious. Did Tebbit expect Irish or Scots cricket fans to cheer for England?
As Marqusee underlines while Tebbit was making a political point, a racist one, it actually passed the cricket world by. Wisden made no comment
Of course historically cricket has been associated with the Tory Party and John Major is often to be found at the Oval, as is Farage at Lords. The left has been a minority certainly when it comes to cricket in England and Wales. Probably the best book ever written on cricket is CLR James Beyond a Boundary but we shouldn’t forget the work of John Arlott, Guardian and Test Match Special journalist in fighting apartheid cricket in South Africa.
There are a lot on the left who love cricket who have a background in the Caribbean or the Indian Sub-Continent who still see a victory for the West Indies or India or Pakistan against England at cricket as settling at several removes some old imperial scores. Likewise I find some Australians on the left who tell me they’re not interested in cricket because its associated with the political right.
But back to CLR James. How can you not, having been drawn in by the ebb and flow of a Test Match, be drawn into cricket.
As former England captain Eoin Morgan, an Irishman, noted after his World Cup victory, one of the sides strengths was its diversity. Muslims Rashid and Mooen Ali, Jofra Archer who has some Caribbean roots and Ben Stokes who has been up for the New Zealander of the Year Award.
You might argue that in the context the old imperial battles of cricket are slightly subsumed by the reality that the England side now represents the imperial diaspora and the biggest match in cricket World Cups ais India v Pakistan.
The left should be able to appreciate achievements by the England cricket team but also grasp that those imperial battles at several removes in cricket are not yet done. Anyone but England perhaps not now but England or Anyone else if they’re a good side, quite possibly.
One day we may be able to enjoy cricket as culture and artistry in sport as CLR James saw it, though we’re not there yet.
The Tebbit Test now resides with the Farages of this world
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