Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson was so incensed this morning by comments that were made on Breakfast News by the Editor of Wisden that he has sent a strongly worded response the content of which is printed in full in the following paragraphs.

In his letter to the Editor of Wisden Mr Anderson says: "It is difficult for the specialist annual WISDEN to publicise itself with a kiss and tell story, so on the eve of publication its bully boy Editor seeks to kick the county game in an arranged but uncontested high profile interview on BBC's Breakfast News.

"There was no acknowledgement in the interview of the tremendous changes made by cricket in the recent past to raise competitiveness and attract what some may say is the mythical younger audience who should watch cricket. The wishes of committed, traditional cricket watchers who are quite willing to pay to watch on a regular basis the very game from which both WISDEN and its Editor earn their living, are ridden over rough shod.

"The truly depressing thing is that WISDEN seems totally unaware of the changes first class counties are making to the way in which they prepare their players, play their matches, identify and coach emerging young talent and publicise and popularise the game with the young in their areas.

"It seems fashionable in this country to ignore rural communities as politically and economically unimportant. However, reducing the number of first-class counties and basing those left on city-based clubs will leave huge swathes of the country and its population without a cricket team to watch within reasonable travel distance. Their cricketing hopes, aspirations and traditions will be ignored.

"Somerset is a rural area, proud of its cricket team, the amateur club system and the vibrant youth system based on the first class club. So Mr Editor, leave our Club and cricket alone. We don't care what you think and before you unashamedly arrange national TV interviews for commercial gain, question your own integrity in biting the hand of the game, which feeds you.

"Most of all, though, question your own professionalism in making critical unbalanced generalisations about cricket, which have no relevance to that which occurs in Somerset. You do not know enough about the game you earn a living from."

To make sure that everybody is aware of exactly how incensed he feels about what was said this morning, a copy of Mr Anderson's letter has been sent to the First Class Forum, John Read who is the Director of Corporate Affairs at the ECB, the SCCC Management Committee, the Editor of Wisden Cricket Monthly and the Editor of Cricketer Magazine.

Recently Mr Anderson issued a new season's greeting to all readers of the Somerset Website, in part of which he asks that if supporters hear criticism of the game that they should respond accordingly.

The Chief Executive has therefore contacted me to ask readers of the site to react in the way that they see fit to the comments that were made on television this morning, and support him in his response.

© SOMERSET