Conversely, football players get a lot more and are heavily over-represented by players from state schools. I don't see how it's the fault of all cricket that public schools play cricket and state schools don't.
As for black cricket in England, how about that the West Indies are sh1t these days? Main reason, they play other sports in the US. Any chance that's stopped providing black role models/examples. It's such a shame when they were so great.
Plus, I would have thought Asian participation is through the roof. That can't be celebrated? How come none then declare for England?
This works both ways - there is more I could say but what's the point

Red and Blue Army!

I've been banging on about class in sport for years - rugby and cricket are 'u', football is 'non-U'. We didn't win the men's singles at Wimbledon for 76 years - while players had to bow to the royal box at centre court - not a coincidence. Sam Burgess is one of many rugby league players to experience snobbery when going to rugby union - it's this public school thing we've got here, edification is only for an elite, breeding and all that, it's why we never win the world cup and have no manufacturing industry - other countries have clever people we've got posh people - massive oversimplification but the snobbery comes with small-mindedness which does not make for success.

And we've got a young quicky in instead of Rehan - maybe later in the series, can see him at the Oval.

Thar was multicoloured liberal amounts of cr*p

I have no idea why Rehan was called up in the first place as he has only taken a handful of wickets this season anyway

It's a bit of an oversimplification as England have won both the Cricket and Rugby World Cups. In Rugby, for instance, egalitarian France have never won it - in fact, England are the only northern hemisphere side to have ever won the rugby.
As for cricket, I went to school in Australia after we emigrated. I used to play a bit in England for a village side. In Australia they will have a day and a half of cricket in school. Imagine that in England.
I'm not seeing how state schools and what they do are entirely the fault of sport's governing bodies.
For instance, we could wonder why young black people don't play cricket - then look at the West Indies. They used to be great, now average at best. Their players are often poached by US sports now. In the UK immigration is no longer from the Caribbean, it's from Africa. Their role models are footballers, not Malcolm Marshall or Clive Lloyd.
Yet, Asian participation is massive, however, none seem to come through for England. Is that simply racism or do many still actually identify with and support India and pakistan? That's a problem with integration, not racism. Look at Edgbaston when there's a test between England and India. It's quite an eye opener.
This report is facile and pointless: it won't improve the game. Participation is required in order to improve, but football is still the obvious game kids will play. You'd need government to have cricket Fridays at schools or something. I suspect rugby has a safety issue and schools are loathe to play the full game too. I had a bit of a dilemma when my kid played rugby over the safety. I didn't mind as much as my missus - who was totally against it.

Red and Blue Army!

So why are all those 'Asians' still supporting India and pakistan? They are British aren't they?

Why doesn't England just stop playing cricket altogether and just have India(GB) and pakistan(GB)?

Then perhaps the authorities can get all the sponsorship they crave, and the majority can completely forget about a game most people only remotely care about during the World Cup and Ashes.