da pinnacle： The wait is nearly over
da supremo： Freddie Auld16-Sep-2003The wait is nearly over. This Friday, the first edition of the magazine opens its eagerly awaited innings. And on the eve of its publication, John Stern, the editor, took time from his busy schedule to talk exclusively to Wisden CricInfo about the task of combining and , and what to look out for in the first edition.
Issue No. 1 – on sale from September 19
What were the main differences between the two magazines, and how did you blend them together?
The main difference was that covered grass-roots, from club cricket down to schools, while didn’t. That was a big aspect and the biggest gap to bridge. But club and school cricket are in the new edition, and there’ll be more in the second magazine with a supplement on club cricket. On other matters, both magazines covered England and county cricket in mostly similar ways, although was more visual than . We will continue to cover it in a bright and innovative way, but without betraying our hardcore specialist readers.Are there any drastic changes from or
We have a new look, but ultimately the magazine is about quality journalism, photography, and quality content, as were and . Readers won’t be fooled by jazzy designs if the content isn’t of the highest standard. But we have the best writers around. Many high-class journalists have contributed to this edition and many more want to do so in the future. There are a few changes as it was important to create a new identity, and I did that by drawing impressions from the two magazines. I hope I’ve done a good job. I’m sure we’ll have differing opinions from readers and I hope they let us know what they think, as we’ll take their views on board.What did you find the most difficult aspect of editing the new magazine?
It was a massive challenge combining the two magazines into one. The most difficult thing was doing it in such a short space of time with so much to do. It was a massive challenge, but feeling the magazine in my hand was a very proud moment. There’s maybe a touch more pressure on me. My public and media profile has increased, but it’s a great honour and privilege to be editor.Did you seek any advice along the way?
I spoke to Stephen Fay, who I worked with for , Peter Perchard, the editor of , Matthew Engel, our editor-in-chief, and John Brown, the chairman. I also asked Nasser Hussain, when he was still England captain, if he fancied being an associate editor and he was keen for the magazine to portray a contemporary image of cricket.Now you’ve merged, is there a feeling that there’s no competition from anyone else to keep you on your toes?
There’s no complacency here. No-one thinks that we can do what we like just because we’re the only magazine. We have 20,000 subscribers who will be expecting high quality and if they don’t like it then they won’t buy it, it’s as simple as that. We have a huge tradition to live up to as well, considering we’re representing and , so that keeps us on our toes.Do you see yourself in competition with the newspapers?
Newspapers cover international cricket very well, but I want to move away from chasing them. The aim is for to set the agenda rather than react to it, like we have with the Michael Vaughan feature. I want to make an impression. We will approach covering news like other monthly sports titles do. for instance, the way they cover rugby all the way down from international to schools. Cricket is a mainstream professional sport, it’s a big business and is relevant to other sports. Most of our readers will be interested in at least one other sport apart from cricket and we realise that.Are there any new exciting features to look forward to?
In this edition, we chart James Anderson’s remarkable rise from club to international cricket. We have an investigative piece of writing on Vaughan and the club v country debate, along with our version of the real County Championship where we mark each county in ten categories ranging from the quality of play to the quality of beer. And in the next issue there’s a review of the season which has been such an exciting and pivotal one for the English game. We’ve had huge crowds at the Twenty20 Cup and for the Oval Test, and have watched a developing England team.The Michael Vaughan feature has already caused a stir. Do you agree with his views on the county game?
I have lots of sympathy will Michael Vaughan. It was unwise to say what he did straight after Headingley because it sounded like he was making excuses, but he’s not. I agree with him to an extent. Players and coaches all say how county cricket has good players and it’s definitely not as bad as people say. But it all comes back to too much cricket being played. The matches need to be bigger events with more build-up so players can give it their full tilt. But having said that, you can’t just destroy the fabric of cricket by merging counties as you then risk losing the relevance of the game in certain parts of the country.Is James Anderson on the cover representing a new image for the magazine as well as for the game?
Yes, definitely. He’s a big deal. He’s only 21 and has played more international than domestic cricket. We’re not trying to wind people up by putting him on the cover. It’s not a gimmick. They were his own clothes, we didn’t sex him up. I know it won’t be to everyone’s taste, but we wanted the cover to be present, cool, and glamorous. We wanted to make a statement.Is there any coverage of cricket on the internet in the magazine?
Even though we haven’t covered cricket on the net, we do have a close relationship with and we complement each other. We’re monthly while the internet is a 24-hour medium. Cricket on the web has been the biggest revolution in the game and coverage has been ground-breaking.This edition comes with a free booklet. Will there be more in the future?
It’s a nice incentive for the first issue. For anyone who’s followed cricket for a while, it’s a fun look behind the scenes, seeing Elton John dousing Mike Gatting with beer and David Gower and others going white-water rafting. It’s not something or would have done, but we will be doing more, along with other supplements.Did anything particularly surprise you in your readers’ survey?
Yes, 92% saying umpires should be dropped stood out. It shows people expect high standards. Billy Bowden and Simon Taufel are two young umpires in relative terms. They consistently make good decisions and have shown up a few other umpires. Perhaps they should be dropped if, over a period of time, they are monitored closely and continually make mistakes. But they should then be given the opportunity to improve and not just cast into the wilderness.And seven out of ten said they believed that world cricket was still corrupt, but fewer than a third said that it spoilt their enjoyment of the game.
Yeah, that shows people are not convinced the game is free from corruption, but they love it and will carry on watching it. They know illegal bookies are trying to infiltrate the game, they’re not naïve.It’s quite handy that Nasser Hussain was voted best captain since Mike Brearley just as you’ve signed him up to the magazine.
Well, that’s just telling us what we already knew, that Nasser is a great captain. His resignation hasn’t affected the way we see him and the reaction to his hundred at Trent Bridge just showed the respect and affection the public have for him.And who you would you rather have a drink with, James Anderson or David Beckham?
Well, I’ve already had a drink with James Anderson and I enjoyed his company; he was mature and chatty. I’ve never met David Beckham, but I think I’d still go for a beer with Anderson, partly because there would be fewer bodyguards around.How about Duncan Fletcher or Trevor Brooking?
As a West Ham fan, I would go for Trevor Brooking. I have met Duncan Fletcher once and he wasn’t particularly friendly.And would you prefer your daughter to marry a cricketer or a footballer?
Neither.And lastly, how do you think England will do this winter?
I think they’ll win in Bangladesh, but Sri Lanka will be tough. They’ll go there with high expectations after winning there last time, but the first Test will be key. If England lose the first match like they did before, then they’ll struggle. Having Graham Thorpe and Nasser Hussain in the middle order is great, but they do have an inexperienced attack. It’s a question of whether we can bowl Sri Lanka out. We’ve got a better chance of winning in the Caribbean. West Indies aren’t as good as Sri Lanka and their bowling lacks discipline and accuracy.Click here to subscribe to The Wisden Cricketer
