LONDON (Reuters)
England Cricket Board chief Lord MacLaurin has urged the British government to take sport more seriously in light of dismal performances throughout the summer. Speaking on BBC 5 Live, MacLaurin called for the government to provide greater financial assistance to the nation's athletes. "If you look at the whole of sport, whether it be cricket, football or athletics, we are continually being disappointed because our athletes are not doing terribly well," he said. "Until the government takes sport seriously and has it as a top priority, then we are always going to struggle. If you look at the amount of money our government invests in sport per head of population, it is under one pound I believe. In France it is just under four pounds and just under six pounds in Germany. "If you take these figures alone and see what facilities we have for our young people growing up, we just don't take it seriously." MacLaurin has looked on as England's cricketers have been put to the sword in the Ashes series by Australia, following on from a disastrous one-day triangular series involving Pakistan in which the home nation lost all six games. After winter Test series victories in Pakistan and Sri Lanka and victory over Pakistan in the first home test of the summer, the whole mood surrounding English cricket has changed. "The game (of cricket) is deficient in many ways. The game is under severe pressure financially and the structure of it has to be looked at very carefully in this country," MacLaurin added. "You can say that we have been unlucky in one or two respects but we are playing against the finest side in the world (Australia) and we have been found wanting. "One or two players have been injured but that does not disguise the fact that we have to look at our game in this country right from grassroots through to the county level and make it much more professional. "The feelgood factor in this country whenever our sports people do well is tremendous. The Australians recognise that and spend a lot of money on their sports and facilities, but I'm afraid we are second rate."

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