Is anybody out there?

Surrey begin their title quest at the Oval

BBC Sport Online's Robin Scott-Elliot watches the start of the County Championship at the Oval.

The cricket season never thrusts its way into the nation's consciousness. It never has and it never will.

Instead it swaddles itself in sweaters and slips warily out into the spring cold, all but unnoticed.

I never expect anyone to be here

  A spectator at the Oval

England's distant heroics during the winter have set up the coming summer. It is to be the mother of them of all.

The Aussies are coming and might, just might, be beaten. The Ashes Tests are virtual sell outs, the tickets disappearing on a wave of winter achievement added to the historic appeal of one of the oldest sporting clashes.

For once there is real expectation.

But before all that there is the launch of the domestic season and on a chilly April day those potential summer glories seem very distant.

Shortly before 11 o'clock at the Oval, the tannoy burst cheerily to life and announced that Kent had won the toss, would bat and warm meals were available in the bar.

Ben Hollioake keeps warm at the Oval

Surrey are the defending champions, bidding for a hat-trick of titles - a feat not achieved for decades. They boast, arguably, one of the strongest squads ever assembled at domestic level.

They play in one of the best arenas in the land, but there any comparisons to Manchester United come to a shuddering halt.

"The crowd don't give it away," remarked the man at reception when asked if there was a game on.

When Adam Hollioake led his champions down the pavilion steps it was to enthusiastic applause. Enthusiastic but limited as there was next to no-one there.

The Oval holds 16,500. On Friday there were barely 200, most of whom were members.

Gate receipts make up three per cent of Surrey's annual revenue.

"The stalwarts of four-day cricket are very much older and they are not obviously being replaced," said Paul Sheldon, Surrey's chief executive.

"There is a large passive interest in the Championship. But people do not come and watch. Those that do are literally a dying generation."

Surrey are defending champions

Douglas Day matches the most people's idea of a county cricket follower.

The retired financier has been coming to Surrey since he was a boy. But he only became a member last year when he retired.

"When I first came to watch, when people like May and Barrington were playing, there were many more people here," he said after bemoaning the state of the trains following his delayed 90-minute journey to south London from Surbition.

"In 10 years time I do not think there will be so many counties around."

But the audience at the Oval was not composed entirely of senior citizens.

Brian Williams is a regular at the Oval and he had persuaded his friend Tom Casey to endure a chilly debut day out at county cricket.

"I love it," said the 15-year-old. "I come down as often as I can."

We are here to spread cricket at all levels in Surrey

  Surrey chief executive Paul Sheldon

And Tom? "It's good - I might come down more often," he said, not altogether convincingly.

"I come down whenever I have a day off," said 26-year-old Francis Brett, a freelance opera singer.

"I never expect anyone to be here."

A cold, midweek day in April provides a one-sided view of the nation's summer game. But there is no doubt that, while international cricket continues to prosper, the domestic game faces some difficult times.

The Championship has failed to attract a long-term sponsorship deal, while most counties survive on their annual handout from the ECB.

Surrey and the other Test-venue counties have a degree of financial security, the others less so and there is increasing doubt over the continued viability of an 18 county strong first-class game.

"Surrey will never adopt a selfish and exclusive view," said Sheldon. "We and the other counties have a collective responsibility for cricket.

"We (Surrey) are here to spread cricket at all levels in Surrey. We are also here to win and produce the best professional side we can and part of that is developing players for England."

The pavilion crowd look on

The domestic Pura Cup in Australia is watched by tiny audiences - and they don't have the weather to moan about - but it provides a steady stream of high quality players for the Test side.

It does not need big crowds to make Australia the best side in the world - look how many counties have turned to Australian overseas players. But there are only six state sides in Australia.

"I would be surprised if the format of all competitions and the number of counties is sustainable financially beyond the next few years," said Sheldon.

"I am not saying there should be less counties - I'm not saying there are too many competitions. But we have to look at how it can be sustained."

The inevitable rain arrived to hurry the players back to the welcome warmth of the pavilion midway through the morning. It made for a depressing sight.

But not everyone was downcast.

"Everyone says it's boring," said Brian Williams. "I don't think it is - I'll always keep coming."