Is the 50 over game in trouble?
Roar Rookie
By Matthew Stephen, 10 Sep 2009 Matthew Stephen is a Roar Rookie
- Tagged:
- ODIs, one day international cricket, Twenty20
Australia's Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke discuss tactics during the One Day International, Australia v New Zealand match at the WACA in Perth, Sunday Feb. 1, 2009. (AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
When the world of cricket needed a refurbishment in the late 1970s, limited overs cricket became a regular on the international scene.
Many doubted whether the limited overs version of the game would work with the traditional five day format.
However, any doubters have been proven wrong over the past three decades as both Test and one-day cricket have worked hand in hand together, offering lovers of the game two differing experiences.
Debate has now started as to the long term sustainability of the 50 over version of the game with the emergence of Twenty20 cricket on the world arena.
The English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) announced recently that they will scrap the domestic 50 over a side format of the game starting next season. They will play the format of the game on the international stage until the 2011 World Cup, but after that, who knows?
Twenty20 cricket has revolutionised the world of cricket, with it now being the preferred form of cricket for many players around the world as they come to the end of their careers as it pays far more lucrative wages than any other form of the game.
The Indian Premier League – which has been running now for two seasons – is run by individuals who can afford to pay incredible wages to the world’s best players on a par with some of the highest paid sports stars in the world.
Why would players not be attracted to the money involved in Twenty20?
Players are retiring from the international scene to focus their attentions on playing in competitions such as the IPL and earn millions of dollars in a six week period – far more than what they would earn playing for their country over the course of a year.
Fans also appear to love the relatively new format of the game, which offers a quick thrill for spectators with matches concluded within three hours of the first ball being bowled.
The question does remain, however: will fans still have a fascination for the shorter form of the game or will the novelty of the hit and giggle format fade away or will they take to as many appear to have done with the 50 over game all those years ago?
Is there still going to be room for all three formats of the game in the future?
This is a marketing challenge for the cricking administration that can now cater to many different segments within the market with all three formats. New generations of fans are coming on board with Twenty20 cricket and seeing it as an alternative.
However, could the 2011 World Cup spell the end of 50 over cricket?
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reds fan said | September 10th 2009 @ 9:06am | Report comment
50 over cricket has been overexposed and has been dying for the last 5 years. The ECB decision makes its existance terminal. I cant see it surviving. Hopefully with it gone adminsitrators will take another look at the playing calendar. Reduce the number of three match test series and return to proper 5 match tours, and also find room for the silly fun that is 20/20. One day cricket once upon a time was the silly fun, but with time it became serious and stodgy. Serious and stodgy is Test crickets job… but Test cricket also brings with it wonderful drama and narrative that can wax and wane over 5 days. And therein lies its charm and appeal. One day cricket doesn’t have that, nor does it any longer have the fun.
Brett McKay said | September 10th 2009 @ 9:43am | Report comment
Matthew, I wrote a couple of weeks ago that the ECB decision to move to 40 overs will have a big impact on ODIs, as will South Africa’s decision to review its domestic one-day game after the first round of 45-over matches this coming summer. In my column, I wrote that it’ll only take one more country (think Australia or India) to change it’s domestic format too, and the ICC will be forced into an urgent review, which incidently, the ECB have already asked for.
The 2011 and 2015 WCs have been locked in as 50-over ODIs, but if several countries have shortened their domestic games by 2011, it’s hard to imagine the 2015 WC will stay at 50 overs.
I also mentioned in my column that broadcasters would love a 4:30pm ODI start rather than 2:30pm for day/night games, giving them more content in prime time (2/3 of the game, rather than half).
There’s no doubt the format needs to be looked at. I like the idea of cutting 10 overs from each innings, but keeping the field restrictions and Powerplays as the ECB will be for their Pro40 comp next English summer. I wouldn’t mind seeing a 50-over game split into four 25 over “sessions”, but don’t like the idea of dual innings formats, because it’s just too much like T20. One of the Sky commentators the other night (think it was Mike Atherton) said one way to overhaul the 50 over format would be to remove all restrictions (field, bowling, etc) and just play it as a one-day limited overs “test”. That idea’s not as silly as it initally sounds, as it becomes the perfect bridge between short, restricted cricket (T20) and the traditional Test Match.
Reds mentions scheduling above, and that’s the elephant in the room that no-one wants to acknowledge at the moment. This current Natwest series in England highlights everything that is wrong with the scheduling of ODIs and T20Is. Two T20Is and seven ODIs over four weeks following a five Test Ashes series?!?! Come on, how can this possibly be seen as anything other than a cash grab. And England are now down 3-0 with four ODIs to play over the next 11 days!!
And then from here, the Australian team goes to South Africa for the increasingly pointless Champions Trophy, some players will peel off into the Champions League T20 in India, then Australia reconvenes in India for a 5 match OD series before returning about 10 days before the start of the Australian summer.
(And yet some countries now don’t play a Test match before next February)
Urgent calendar surgery required….
Dave said | September 14th 2009 @ 7:51pm | Report comment
The ECB decision to move to 40 overs is not popular with the players.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/cricket/article6833088.ece
“…..A poll conducted by the Professional Cricketers’ Association (PCA) reveals that almost nine out of ten first-class players – 89 percent – do not have faith in the ECB governance. As many as 83 per cent oppose the scrapping of the domestic 50-overs game from 2010……”
Pippinu said | September 10th 2009 @ 9:51am | Report comment
Following up on reds fan’s point – it’s clear to me as well that if 20/20 is to take over from where the one day game once was (short and sweet), then that could actually be viewed as a positive development in the sense that there is far more space on the international calendar for test cricket.
Also, it creates a huge gulf between the test version and the short version of the game, so huge that they really are two distinct games with minimal crossover.
In the end, the displacement of the one day version by 20/20 is actually win, win all round.
Fred Magee said | September 10th 2009 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Good article and quite timely. ODI’s became cricket’s cash cow and allowed for the continuation of Test Match cricket to be held across the world. My view is that 20/20 will become the new cash cow and ODI’s will be pushed off the landscape after the next World Cup – if not before.
The challenge will be scheduling as has been mentioned. Tragically, I dont see any country not milking 20/20′s to boost the coffers their respective Cricket Board and we see the value of 20/20 being diluted as has been the case with the 50 over game…I mean really, what significance does the Champions Trophy really have??? Even more so, what significance does the current series against England have???
In light of this, it also puts into perspective the announcement by Ricky Ponting to ‘retire’ from International 20/20 cricket. I believe that it puts into train the ‘circle of life’ with respect to the Australian Captaincy and begins the official succession plan to MIchael Clarke.
If not in volume, 20/20 is growing in it’s prestige and significance; hence leading the side very soon will rank second to Tests…if it doesnt already.
Dave said | September 14th 2009 @ 7:49pm | Report comment
The Champions Trophy is played to provide funding for Associate cricket
Fred Magee said | September 10th 2009 @ 12:29pm | Report comment
It is a brave new world and one hopes that the lessons of the past are heeded re; scheduling…tragically though (in the words of the maitre’ D in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off)…”I weep for the future”.
Dave said | September 10th 2009 @ 12:47pm | Report comment
It’s hard to judge on these games at the moment. We are seeing one of the worst side is in the world, England, playing. It looks like they are going to end up down with the West indies and Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Ireland in the ODI rankings.
I’d wait till we pay some good sides to see if 50 over cricket is still entertaining.
reds fan said | September 10th 2009 @ 1:04pm | Report comment
Fred. Regarding the prestige and significance of 20/20. I think by it’s very short and a heavy on luck nature it will be impossible to ever imbue it with any real prestige or significance. But that is not a criticism of it. It may in fact be its strength. It will forever remain the “good time” game. Unlike ODI’s which became too serious.
That’s not to say it won’t be widely watched and enjoyed. I think 20/20 cricket truly and clearly shows the difference between the slower, more stratgeic, more mentally and physically challenging Test cricket, and the athleticism, raw skill and instant gratification provided by 20/20. That clear differentiation will give both forms of cricket the room to grow, and to be truly appreciated for what they are.
Harry said | September 10th 2009 @ 4:07pm | Report comment
If 50 over cricket wants to survive then they’d better rig it so the semi’s of the next world cup are SA v England and India v Sri Lanka, with India beating England in the final. Then we’ll see some interest return. By the way, what a shame that as 50 over cricket’s star wanes, Australia’s magnificent achievement of winning the last 3 world cups (the last 2 undefeated) is not given the recognition it deserves. A great shame in my view and the single most under-appreciated Australian sporting achievement this decade.
davido said | September 11th 2009 @ 6:06pm | Report comment
Well said. 3 world cups consecutively will be hard to beat. 4 would be even harder!