I AM devastated to see cricket reduced to a fringe sport.

This development was entirely foreseeable once the guardians of cricket agreed a deal that removed the game from terrestrial TV. The damage this has done to cricket at grassroots level is immense and it may be too late to reverse this decline.

Even though I’m a lover of the traditional form of the game I’m not a Luddite and recognize that there is room for change, especially to encourage children, but I contend that the changes have been too many and too fast and a desperate attempt to increase revenue at all cost.

The first class calendar is absolute mayhem with spectators not sure if it’s County Championship games, 50 over, T20/20 or even teams of streakers against players dressed as frogmen. Even when we nonsubscribers are treated to highlights they are shown after many people have retired to bed.

The ECB officials should hang their heads in shame.

V J Connor, Bishop Auckland