VJ CONNOR should not be surprised that the BBC prefers to show any sport rather than cricket.

I suspect that it agreed with Mark Carney, a native of that great cricketing nation Canada, that cricket is elitist.

Has there ever been such a crass statement issued by such a public figure.

Does Mr Carney and the BBC not realise that the vast majority playing and supporting all levels of cricket, are from working class backgrounds? Once the cricket season is gone they will revert to watching rugby and the “beautiful game” (a misnomer if ever there was one). So the elitist claim is so much hot air.

Having said that, because of these attitudes from on high, I agree with Mr Connor’s observation that cricket is on a slow decline, no matter how much gloss is applied, by statisticians and their reports and form filling.

One only has to witness grassroots decline with the demise of local clubs such as Etherley, Bitchburn, Ingleton and Heighington in recent years, added to which is the number of games conceded at all levels, lack of meaningful cricket in schools and a general cavalier attitude of many players to be very concerned.

K Hopper, Darlington.