'The real strength of cricket is the crowd'

The Rose Bowl expected a crowd of 8500 ahead of India's match against Kenya. By the time India's innings wound to a close the stands were virtually packed. What's more, almost everyone seemed to be wearing India's blue, and had a tricolour wrapped around their shoulders. If you read the British papers, you might not find a word about cricket, and could be forgiven for thinking that the locals were only interested in football. But, when India play, all of a sudden the equation changes. The colour, the smells of curry being washed down by beer, the excitement all reach fever pitch. For cricket to be healthy, it's vital that cricket in the subcontinent strives for excellence, reaches out to its constituency and shows the way. Rameez Raja, who recently resigned as chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board, has stressed this time and again.

Between commentary stints Rameez took time off to talk to Wisden Cricinfo.

It is very important that the state of cricket in the subcontinent is watched carefully. I can say for certain that it's not healthy in Sri Lanka and Pakistan when it comes to Test matches. You need to create a product whereby you attract the consumers to come to the ground. You have to provide the facilities - giant screens, eateries where you can get a good meal, clean toilets, maybe a show after the game. You need proper shades for the stands. It's important that we create an environment where you can sell the game.

The boards and people who are involved, the marketing set-up, will realise sooner rather than later that you have to do this. Otherwise for cricket to prosper and sustain itself at this level will be difficult. I know it's not easy. We were up against it during the Indian series when we needed to create the facilities. But, believe me, even in the subcontinent, if you put your mind to it you can work things out. You can beat the red tapism, beat the system, provided you have a longand short-term plan.

I think the involvement of former cricketers is very important. I quite enjoyed what Ian Chappell had to say about this recently. He said: "The coat minders have become the leaders of sports bodies and the cricketers have become the coat minders." It should be the other way around. If not chairing the board, you need to have a cricket committee comprising sensible former cricketers. We don't seem to have too many sensible cricketers these days - they're more critical of the cricket boards than ever before. You need former cricketers at the stage of creating ideas, and to implement them.

I know. This is very hard really. Then I guess you have to be lucky like I was and go through the ad hoc system in a fast-forward mode. There weren't too many roadblocks. I guess India has to show the way. Right now the concept is that the money you get from TV rights is good enough and you don't have to worry about the other little things. The real strength of cricket is the crowd. It's important to win the hearts of the people who come to the grounds. That is the way we need to move forward, to win over the average fan who comes to the grounds. It's not going to be easy, but it's like building a long-term relationship.

Everyone needs to pull together. As a former player you have to be a little more sensible in your thought process. You have to think twice about what is to be said and what not to be said. Having been a part of the ICC for four years now I think I can say that the ICC want to govern the game in an honourable way where they can keep the controversies as low as possible. I can understand their view, because otherwise people could make all kinds of statements and it would be a riot. That would be bad for the game. But then again the ICC cannot stifle public opinion. The tendency in cricket boards is to push things under the carpet, but you need to tell the facts as it is to have a robust argument. You need to find that balance.