Wikipedia:WikiProject Cricket/The Nets/Opportunities for new cricket articles

Depite what's sometimes claimed, finding new topics for articles is still much easier than facing Shane Warne on a fifth day turning Sydney pitch!

A common explanation for the decreasing number of new articles being created is that most of the obvious topics have now been taken. While it is certainly true that articles on all the major cricket topics have been started (in most cases several years ago), that doesn't mean that there is no further opportunity for article creation. The following essay outlines various experiences in finding new topics for cricket articles, and areas where fairly easy opportunities for article creation remain.

Article worthiness

The main determinant of whether something is "article worthy" is if it meets the criteria set out in the guideline Wikipedia:Notability and the various subsidiary guidelines (of which Wikipedia:Notability (people) and Wikipedia:Notability (sports) are most relevant for cricket topics). In short, these guidelines require the existence of "significant coverage in reliable secondary sources" before an article can be created and for the topic to not violate any of the categories at WP:NOT. However, there are no hard and fast rules of what "significant coverage" means, and the general inclination of most editors participating in article for deletion discussions is to err on the side of keeping the article if it is sourced, neutral and written on a fairly sensible topic. As a result, there's plenty of leeway to create articles on interesting topics.

General guidance on indicators of notability for cricket-related topics is available at WP:CRIN. Here are a few points to check the minimum level of sourcing that is required to support an article:

• Several pages on the topic in a book (the number of pages needed to support a good-quality article can be surprisingly small if the density of the information is high).
• An article focused on the topic in a good-quality magazine or annal.
• Several non-related news stories in different major media outlets about a person, organisation or event over time.

Current gaps

Taking the above into account, what opportunities exist for new articles? Here are some suggestions:

• Under-represented topics – We have surprisingly few articles on many important topics. For example, there are few articles on "women in cricket" and there is no doubt that the distribution of articles in the English-language Wikipedia is slanted towards topics which have involved English-speaking people (for instance, the coverage of cricket and cricketers from non-English speaking countries is patchy).
• Thematic topics – Wikipedia still has few cross-cutting articles that discuss a particular theme rather than a specific event or thing. Articles such as Cricket in World War II and Cricket in Australia show the potential is there for expansion of these topics.
• The evolution of things – very few articles exist charting the structural evolution of cricket, on a wide-range of topics. From the laws of cricket, to the development of domestic first-class structures.
• Sub-articles – While these are generally split from larger articles to provide more detailed coverage, they offer an interesting opportunity for new articles. Early life of Ricky Ponting and Adelaide leak are good examples of articles on an important part of a larger topic. There are many large biographies where they is scope for sub-articles, in addition to important matches in a series for which a sub-article would provide further context.
• Articles on forgotten topics – Wikipedia provides a good opportunity to highlight topics which have historically been under-emphasised. For example, Cricket in Zimbabwe or Bowling (cricket) are largely forgotten topics.
• 'Lesser' countries – some countries in the world of cricket are perceived as less important than others, which often leads to highly detailed articles about cricket in countries like Australia or England, but lesser detailed articles about cricket in countries like Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.
• Cricket historians and books – There's a large and interesting body of literature on cricket and many cricket history books are extensively reviewed in major newspapers and major cricket publications (thereby meeting the requirements of WP:NBOOK), yet there aren't many articles on these topics.
• Missing major topics – Yes they still do exist. For instance, coverage of seasons in the South African domestic first-class competition is missing nearly 120 years of coverage.

Strategies for finding new topics

Some strategies which have been used by experienced editors to find new article topics are:

• Read detailed accounts of topics and specialised cricket publications – These often provide enough detail on lesser-known topics to support an article. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack and Playfair Cricket Annual are particularly useful in this regard.
• Look for red links – While not as common as they used to be, there are still lots of red links around.
• Follow up on to-do lists – Many Wikiprojects and our project task forces have central "to-do" lists; Wikipedia talk:WikiProject Cricket/to do. Other lists of missing topics can be found here (women-related) and here (generic request list)
• Photos – If you see happen to be at a cricket match, or driving past a cricket ground, take its photo (if it is legal to do so, such as it is in the United Kingdom) and then find out what it is and if there's an article on it. If there isn't an article and the topic is notable, the photo will give you a head start with creating an interesting article. Cricket grounds are a great source of photogenic material (especially during matches, when not only is the ground a photogenic material, but the players, umpires and equipment too – killing four birds with one stone!).
• Personal interest – Think of any questions you'd like answered, and see if Wikipedia has an article which provides the answer. If not, you can research the topic and start the article.
• Other Language Wikis – If you can read another language well enough, browse that respective wiki for articles that aren't here. While an article's existence on a different language wiki doesn't automatically make the topic notable, it is a great place to start, find sources, and find a niche of under-represented topics.