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Fans steer clear for the start of the season
Apr 19 2007 By Paul Bradley, Birmingham Mail
THE unmistakable summer sound of leather on willow returned to Birmingham when the cricket season started in earnest.
But only the truly dedicated fans of the gentleman's sport sauntered into Edgbaston cricket ground to witness the first action of the new campaign.
After England's dismal performance in the World Cup in the West Indies this month, it was hardly a surprise that few turned up for Warwickshire's County Championship game with Lancashire.
It was a far cry from 1951 when 25,000 Brummies packed into the ground to watch the game with the next fixture against Yorkshire attracting 43,000 fans.
Bouncers, googlies, full tosses and beamers were negotiated by batsmen as they looked to cut, pull, drive and slog their way to a ton or two.
And with a scorching bank holiday weekend just gone and temperatures set to soar through June and July, thousands of spectators could be attracted back to the sport.
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