The cricket landscape has been changing rapidly in the last few years, 50 over cricket has become passé, like Test cricket in the late 70’s the death knell has been rung. White balls, coloured clothing and cricket after sundown were revolutionary moves in the plodding era of defensive prods and attacking singles.
Now the game has gone a step further with fast food servings dished up in 20 over dollops.
The money is huge and you no longer have to play for your country to receive the more than significant rewards.
Many players are opting to leave their nation’s service prematurely, sometimes for ‘ rebel ’ organizations (whose cash is as good as anyone’s). Whether 20/20 cricket becomes a major and permanent part of the cricket landscape is a question that can only be answered by the passage of time.
One day internationals have lasted 30 years, they are now under threat of diminishing interest from players, along with diminishing interest from the punters.
So along comes the new baby, fresh, forceful, quick and more like baseball than baseball itself. The new stars and emerging without having played first class cricket for their states, they have simply jumped the firebreak straight into the international arena and start new fires.
David Warner is the leading example.
His debut match at the MCG on Sunday night was only slightly short of astonishing. He flayed an international attack to all parts, he looked the best batsmen on show and that included Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey, Jacques Kallis et al. The only one who looked in his class (at the short form of the game) was the youngster on the other team, J-P Duminy.
The Victorian crowd had adopted Warner after about 20 balls i.e. about the time he brought up his 50.
Sean Marsh was not in the same league and he has been the darling of the selectors as the young precocious talent. Marsh has been having a tough time of it since his record breaking IPL stint but still the selectors see fit to have him in India has a replacement for the injured Phil Jaques and now in the limited overs sides.
Meanwhile sitting at home watching the fireworks is the beleaguered Matthew Hayden. He’s fuming at his (deserved) omission from the ODI team and contemplating his Test future, strangely extended by those same selectors who see Marsh junior as the next best thing.
If ever there was an advertisement for the talent of youth to be given their head and the old bulls put to pasture (as humanely as possible), the we saw it on the MCG on Sunday evening.
As much as David Warner has presented his credentials as an international cricketer, he has also written the obituary of the former great left handed opener.
Come on now Matt, retire in grace, a new age has been thrust upon you and us.
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