In Mr Alton’s absence, I thought readers might want a column about sport. The problem is that I’m largely indifferent to most sports.
But I will berate the All England Club for cancelling the Wimbledon Championship. Fair enough, I can see that tennis might be a problem what with all the loud, virus-spreading grunting, but I think it’s time we reminded them they are the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Shockingly, last time I went there on a corporate jag, I could see no evidence of the superior game being played.
Yet croquet is a game where social distancing poses no problems. If you sold the rights to Sky and brought in new technology (‘We now go live to the hoop-cam to see Fothergill attempt the triple peel’), you could turn an unfairly neglected sport into something big — just as the need to sell colour TVs prompted the BBC to rekindle interest in snooker.
Croquet is a game where social distancing poses no problems
I do welcome the absence of football, though.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in