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Cricket journalism- How much do you have to know?

Craig

World Traveller
By-and-large, aim for the stars and you'll be disappointed. Yes, in perhaps 1 case in every 300 you'll hit the stars and that success story will inspire another 50,000 people to try and find the odd more success story to inspire more people... but by-and-large those who aim for unrealistic prospects will be disappointed. That's just the way it is, sadly.

Personally I find a more sensible approach to be aiming for something which you have a realistically reasonably high prospect of attaining. And yes, as noted already, 14 is certainly not an age where any sort of commitment is required - you've years before you have to know at that age. I'm 24 and I still have absolutely no clue where I want to end-up, and I'll probably find myself changing plans on many more occasions ahead yet.
Haha I know what you mean. I only decided what I wanted to do 8 weeks ago, and now that will soon change.
 

Richard

Cricket Web Staff Member
For some people that's medicority, for others it's a lot worse and for some it actually is the moon.

I don't see the harm in aiming high. Obviously I'm not suggesting andmark pile all his eggs into one basket beacuse as you said, outerspace is a bleak place to end up but so long as he keeps other options open and other alternative career paths in mind I really don't see what is to lose from chasing his dream.
You should always aim high. Just don't waste time and effort pursuing a near-impossible dream and end-up being in a worse place because of it. You're better aiming for a high place which you have a realistic prospect of getting to.

And remember, too, that the days of jobs for life are gone.
 

fredfertang

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Because once you've had scabies you can't un-have-had-it.
I see - I do have another question but, on reflection, happen I'd best leave it for now

My recollection is that when I was 14 even the spotty girls with glasses didn't want to know - in view of what you say I'm glad I stuck to reading Wisden and Penthouse, tbh
 

GIMH

Norwood's on Fire
To all those questioning andmark on thinking of career choices at such a young age - I think it's such that when you're in Year 9, you start having career talks and of course have to pick your GCSE options.
 

Jarquis

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Yeah, GCSE options aren't all that important though. The vast majority of A Level courses can be taken even if they weren't suddied at GCSE, History for example. A level choices are a lot more important though, for instance half of the science courses aren't available because I didn't take Chemistry. Why my school thought putting History and Chemistry in the same block, when upwards of 20 people complained about the clash, I have no idea.
 

jeevan

International 12th Man
Fourteen is a fine age to pick up an avocation. Given that you're stuck for a few years, in most cases, with the vocation of going through grade school and advanced education any way.(Asians on this board will probably take that for granted)

Avocations have a way of turning into vocations based on your ability and of course luck. I guess that's what people are suggesting with blogging etc.

I agree with Richard that cricket journalism is too dicey to be a vocation - thinking about it for 10 years is not going to change that. But you can choose the avocation route to shoot for the stars. There are examples of success (I think both Zaheer Khan and Anil Kumble were well into their engineering degrees till it became apparent that there was a better calling for them. Manish Pandey only last year decided similarly, or so he said. Ditto Albert Einstein, if you want an example from a different field.).

You'll have to work much harder this way, but that shouldn't faze most people truly motivated to set their sights high.
 

Manee

Cricketer Of The Year
Shoot for the moon, even if you miss you'll land amongst the stars
The stars tend to be a lot further than the Moon.

BTW, for anyone interested, I'm no longer at all interested in a career in cricket journalism.
 

morgieb

Request Your Custom Title Now!
Playing talent seems to be more important than writing talent, it seems. Even those who didn't play cricket know Sweet FA.
 

wfdu_ben91

International 12th Man
Unfortunately for those not blessed with a natural talent for playing cricket, the above is true.
And fair enough. Why should some no-namer get their opinion publically published?

All fair in discussing the game and your opinion on a forum and what not, but only sportsmen that have played their respective sport should get the chance to voice their opinion publically.

No one on cricinfo who hasn't played International/State cricket deserves to be a cricinfo journalist. Sammit Bal and Christian Ryan both have mediocre cricket knowledge but they get to write on cricinfo. It's ridiculous.

I'd laugh if I were someone who averaged 55 in 100+ Tests with the bat and then at the end of my career, my career was completely analysed and publically overlooked by some no-namer who never came close to playing International cricket.

Fair enough for fans to discuss it on forums and be as critical as they want, but none of them should get the opportunity to spray International performers on well-known media sources such as cricinfo. I'm as critical as I want to be, but me or no one else who hasn't played high class cricket deserves to have their opinion voiced because it's as irrelevant as anyone else's.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Chappell played cricket though, and by your argument anyone who did is a better journalist then anyone who didn't.
 

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