The latest at the political crease is 52-year-old Nigel Adams who, as it happens, does know a bit about the game. He is a keen and able club cricketer and spent several years on the Yorkshire Committee.

By my reckoning he is the 20th incumbent to hold the bat since Viscount Hailsham ridiculously rang a bell and declared himself the nation’s first de facto Sports Minister back in 1962, under the premiership of Harold Macmillan. After a somewhat inauspicious spell he was followed by Denis Howell, the nonpareil who set the bar which so many of his successors failed to straddle.

Not unexpectedly, Adams is a bosom buddy of new Prime Minister Boris Johnson and actively campaigned for him in his leadership bid. His reward is a post that may not last that long, should pre- or post-Brexit activities bring about another election. Until then, he must keep playing the bowling and, so far, no-one has rattled his stumps.

Now I don’t know Adams from Eve, but I am assured by one of his Conservative predecessors, Sir Hugh Robertson, that he is a good bloke who loves sport and is fit for purpose.

Sir Hugh, now chairman of the British Olympic Association, expresses the hope that Adams can get to grips with a number of pressing sporting issues, including doping and gambling. There is also the matter of Olympic Games funding with the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. This may be affected by the dubious decision of Adams' immediate predecessor Mims Davies to give Richard Desmond's society lotteries more freedom at the expense of the National Lottery.

From my experience, UK Sports Ministers have been a mixture of the good, the bad and the bloody awful. Of the few who made a decent fist of it, I would nominate alongside Howell and Robertson, Kate Hoey (the first female Sports Minister), Lord Colin Moynihan, Richard Caborn, Gerry Sutcliffe and the late, if irascible, Tony Banks.

At least they all knew what sport was about and the people in it, although in many ways it is a bit of a nothing job. It has never been given Cabinet status as it is in other countries, although it should have been - most notably at the time of the London 2012 Olympics.

Sport contributes an awful lot to society, both financially and aesthetically, and many issues need political governance at the highest level. Sadly, Sports Ministers do not have the muscle to back up any structures they may wish to impose.

Nor is sport the only commodity in their portfolio. Adams' full title is Minister of State for Sport, Media and Creative Industries with responsibility for Civil Society. Pick the bones out of that lot.

In a couple of weeks in the job, Adams - a Goole-born former grammar schoolboy and son of a school caretaker and cleaner and now MP for Selby - has managed to strike a couple of boundaries to capture public attention.

Firstly, he urged Derby County to consider abandoning its sponsorship tie-up between Wayne Rooney and online casino 32Red. He said putting the striker in the number 32 shirt in order to promote the Gibraltar-based betting company was a "very crafty move".

Former England captain Rooney was accused of "selling his soul" after agreeing an 18-month contract worth £7.8 million ($9.48 million/€8.55 million) to return from America to play in England with the Championship club.

"I would ask Derby County to look within themselves and think about the impact problem gambling can have on some in society, particularly vulnerable people and youngsters.

"They have got a social responsibility to be mature and grown up. So I understand the concern. Football needs to be mindful of the problem gambling has.

"They have their guidelines, so I would urge clubs to abide by not just the rules, but the spirit of what the Gambling Commission and the FA have laid down.

"If clubs break the rules, then they shouldn’t be surprised if there ends up being further action. Clubs need to be very conscious of that link with gambling. It did raise an eyebrow when I saw the 32 number on Wayne Rooney’s shirt."

He added: "Hopefully, Derby County will be mindful and talking to the FA because we have to make sure we look after those who are vulnerable."

Adams has also called upon England cricket fans to stop booing Australian batsman Steve Smith, calling their behaviour "distasteful" and saying it is time for the jeering to cease.

Smith and team-mates David Warner and Cameron Bancroft have been roundly heckled during the current Ashes series for their involvement in the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa last year. Smith and Warner received 12-month bans and Bancroft a nine-month suspension.

"The vast majority of the Lord's crowd were on their feet applauding Steve Smith after his innings, but a small amount of booing from a tiny element of the crowd has made the news," Adams told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"It's distasteful and we have to remember that the Aussie players who got themselves into trouble have been punished and done the time.

"Smith, in particular, is a brilliant batsman and whilst, of course, I don't want him getting too many runs while he's over here, he's mesmerising to watch and as genuine sports fans we should be applauding him, not jeering."

Smith was forced to retire hurt during the second Test after being hit by a bouncer from Jofra Archer. He will now miss the third test, beginning on Thursday at Headingley. 

So far, so good from the doughty Yorkshireman who has just come in to bat. Just as well there is no political Jofra Archer unleashing bouncers from the Westminster End.