Love the game and tell good stories: Atherton to scribes worldwide

Love the game and tell good stories about cricket, is the message former England skipper Michael Atherton has conveyed to the scribes involved in taking the sport to the fans.

Once he hung his boots as a player, Atherton picked up the microphone and pen to write about the sport he was an integral part of for 12 years, playing in 115 Tests and 54 ODIs for England.

"I still think it is about good storytelling. I know statistics and technique and all those kind of things are important and are very much at the heart of the modern landscape," Atherton said in a podcast released by the PCB after his recent visit to Pakistan.

"I think telling good stories is still at the heart of journalists, broadcasters, documentary-makers and commentators, whatever tell good stories about a great game."
"Occasionally, you do have to criticise and there is no way around it. But, I think if you're fair and the players know that you have no axe to grind and that you're being fair-minded then I think that's fine."
"There was no social media when I played. Of course, you still had criticism from commentators and journalists and maybe the tabloid media was a bit stronger in England then than it is now. It is tougher for young players now as it is very hard to get away from social media."
"The players are encouraged to be on social media for all kinds of reasons: for personal sponsorships and general availability. But that level of vitriol and criticism is quite tough to deal with particularly if you are young."