Aesop's Cricket Fable

Aesop as depicted
 in a Spanish
woodcut of 1489

Aesop, to whom a series of classic fables is attributed, is believed to have lived in the 7th Century BC.  Although he may not have existed.  Or he may have been a slave in Samos to a man called Xanthus.  He is reputed to have been physically grotesque.  There is a suggestion that by virtue of his cleverness he acquired his freedom and became and adviser to kings and city states.  

Nor is it known whether amongst the bodies he advised, in his quick witted way, would have been the Ancient Greek Board of Cricket Control.   It is highly likely, for historians have suggested that in Aesop's time the Board faced a problem of declining crowds at what they believed to be a highly attractive ODI series between Athens and reigning world champions Sparta.  Seats were empty.  Spartans seemed to have better things to do.  What could the Board do?  Desperate, they sought Aesop's input.

Unlike modern consultants Aesop did not have a series of familiarisation visits.  He did not engage in data capture exercises.  He did not feel the need to construct a model - either a computer model or a logic model.  He did not hold whole staff engagement events. He eschewed powerpoint presentations.  His report on the issue was not presented in bullet form with data annexed in appendices.  There were no graphs or tables, or even flow charts.  FB has seen Aesop's report to the Board.  It is quite short:

A cottager and his wife had a goose that laid a golden egg every day. They supposed that the goose must contain a great lump of gold in its inside, and in order to get the gold they killed it. Having done so, they found to their surprise that the goose differed in no respect from their other geese. The foolish pair, thus hoping to become rich all at once, deprived themselves of the gain of which they were assured day by day

How the reluctance of the Indian crowds to turn out to teh recently deceased ODI series is a surprise to anyone is beyond Fantasy Bob - and Aesop.  Indian supporters have had a non-stop diet of very similar product offered to them for a year.   World Cup, IPL, Champions League - it all merges into one.  FB congratulates them on making the point that they cannot be taken for granted.  Good for them saying: 'Give us a break - we saw  something exactly like this too recently.'  After all there is no sporting logic or purpose to the endless round of fixtures - and if there is no sporting logic ultimately there will be no commercial logic either.

  Aesop is not available for further consultations, having been dead for over 2500 years, if indeed he was ever alive.  But he might have suggested that the goose that is cricket needs careful handling.