Derek Pringle rues the lack of festival cricket in the modern game as money dictates counties stay at their regular homes

High summer used to be ‘Festival’ time in cricket, the moment when counties took the first-class game and its players away from HQ and deep into the shires they represented. It still happens at places like Cheltenham and Scarborough, but like most things that make life awkward for the money men it has declined from a heyday where over 40 alternative venues were used to one where just a handful survive today.
Festivals and the grounds ...