Death of a Gentleman (2015)

Death of a Gentleman: Directed by Johnny Blank, Sam Collins, Jarrod Kimber. With Jonathan Agnew, David Becker, Ian Chappell, Giles Clarke. Two cricket journalists set out to see whether Test cricket has a future. In so doing they discover a conspiracy which starts at the highest echelons of cricket administration and politics.

“Two cricket journalists – Sam Collins and Jarrod Kimber – set out to see whether Test cricket has a future. In so doing they discover a conspiracy which starts at the highest echelons of cricket administration and politics. The conspiracy is borne out of self-interest and putting commercial interests ahead of the good of the game. This spells disaster for Test cricket.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWell made documentary. Starts as a harmless examination of the future of test cricket and turns into a massive expose of the mismanagement of cricket by the ICC and BCCI. Some quite startling, and depressing, revelations.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFairly wide coverage of everyone concerned, from the top brass at the ICC, BCCI and ECB, to cricket journalists and broadcasters, to former players and current players. Having painted T20 and IPL as the threat to Test cricket, and international cricket in general, what was missing was interviews with players who are having to make a choice between playing for their country and playing for the money. We have an interview with Chris Gayle, but he is a cricket mercenary – he chose money over country in a heartbeat – so no soul-searching involved.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe Ed Cowan angle was interesting – showing a journeyman cricketer making his way at the top flight. Not an established player, so not much room for him to have to choose money vs country, but still gives a perspective on why people play the game, and the trials, tribulations and triumphs of a cricket career. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOn a negative note, Collins and Kimber are no Woodward and Bernstein – they are cricket writers not investigative journalists, and it shows. Some of their investigations seem rather clumsy.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eOverall, a must-see for lovers of the worldu0026#39;s greatest sport, Test cricket, and for anyone who cares about the future of cricket, in general.”