By Adam Cooper
February 8th 2010 @ 6:07am
Related coverage
MCG fans vote with their feet
Fans cast further doubt over one-day cricket’s long-term future by voting with their feet, as only 25,463 spectators attended Sunday’s game between Australia and West Indies at the MCG.
The attendance – barely a quarter of the MCG’s capacity – was low despite fine conditions and the match being the first of the five-game series.
It also provided more evidence of one-day cricket being well behind in the popularity stakes to Twenty20, as Friday night’s shorter game between Australia and Pakistan attracted 60,054, the biggest cricket attendance this season.
Officials were hopeful a crowd of up to 35,000 would attend Sunday’s game.
They were disappointed by the attendance, but insisted 50-over cricket was still relevant and popular among fans.
Cricket Victoria chief executive Tony Dodemaide said Sunday’s low crowd did not mean the end of the 50-over game was nigh.
“I don’t think so, it’s easy to just draw those conclusions on the face of it,” Dodemaide told AAP.
“But let’s look at the TV (ratings) as well.
“It was a very different mix of crowd (on Friday night), and we know that families are more atuned to coming to 20-over cricket than they are 50-over cricket because of a long day and schools were back last week, so many people won’t bring their family out on a Sunday night.
“The indicators say it (the 50-over game) is still holding up, certainly in terms of broadcast, which demonstrates there is real interest in 50-over cricket.”
Cricket Australia (CA) spokesman Peter Young said Sunday’s game was broadcast live into Melbourne, and that the organisation would not know the Nine Network’s rating figures until Tuesday.
He said live broadcasts brought the risk of people staying home, but said attendances were always likely to be lower later in the summer.
“Crowds drop off after the Australian tennis Open, people have gone back to work and school and it is a school day tomorrow,” he said.
The crowds in the recent series between Australia and Pakistan were also low, although 30,774 fans attended game two at the SCG and the last match at the WACA Ground attracted an attendance of 20,464.
But only 19,758 fans attended the series opener at the Gabba, 15,521 watched game three at the Adelaide Oval and 13,841 went to the fourth match at the WACA Ground.
The second match of the West Indies series is in Adelaide on Tuesday, with games to come in Sydney (Friday), Brisbane (Sunday week) and again in Melbourne on February 19.
That last clash will pit cricket directly against the AFL, as Collingwood and St Kilda will play a pre-season game at Etihad Stadium.
Young said CA was compiling a study on the interest in all forms of cricket, but had been pleased with attendances this summer.
Get Australia's best Cricket opinion emailed daily.
Like this content? Buzz it up!
Free Email updates:
Our daily emails are only sent if there is content for the sport or that author. You can subscribe to multiple daily emails; or get the daily Roar email with all our content in it. We value privacy. More...
(25)
Go_the_Wannabe's said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:39am | Report comment
RIP ODI’s.
roary said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:48pm | Report comment
The tv ratings are outfor the MCG one dayer. It was that bad that they might even pull cricket off the air before the time this series finishes.
They need Gayle to save the day.
Redb said | February 8th 2010 @ 10:47am | Report comment
Gonski.
People are happy with a 3-4 hour commitment rather than a 10 hour enduro that is spread out for action anyway. Test cricket still offers something different, but fans expect the shorter game to be full of action – Twenty20 fits the bill.
You could not get a clearer vote.
Redb
Brett McKay said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:17am | Report comment
I think we need to view last night’s crowd with a little bit of context, rather than just launch straight into the obituaries.
Last night’s ODI was the second international cricket fixture at the MCG within three days. This alone is a fairly major factor, in that plenty of people would picked one over the other, and in doing so have taken the (presuambly) cheaper option. This shouldn’t be that big a surprise.
Add to this though it being on a Sunday night, and with the game broadcast live into Melbourne all day too, and it’s pretty easy to jump to the conclusion that ODI is a dying duck.
That all said, CA scheduled it this way, so kind of only have themselves to blame…
Michael C said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:25am | Report comment
correct – people tend to forget that in the case of ODI crowds in Melbourne in recent years – that we’ve had something that for the first 25 years of ODI’s in Melbourne that we didn’t have – and that’s live coverage against the gate – - even if NOT a sell out.
And a NIGHT game on a school night?!?!?! Why not run it as a day game…..ah…..simple, it’s run more as a TV event now and taking on that prime time Sunday night slot.
(actually, I turned off the cricket at 8.30 and watched the compelling ABC doco on Black Saturday).
Brett McKay said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:04pm | Report comment
MC, a lot of people would have done the same after Gayle holed out. It kind of fizzled out as a contest once he was out…
Redb said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
I disagree, it’s dead or dying.
You point out the two fixtures in three days, but I dont think they picked the cheaper option they picked the more exciting option.
Sunday was a cracking day in Melb, the last thing you’d do is spend it watching TV.
Redb
M1tch said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:50am | Report comment
lets put into context a bit
we played a Windies side with no bowling and 3 of their best batters out, the match was a flop to rub the salt in
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 11:51am | Report comment
Watched the football and was a great game with Aloisi scoring the winner with 5 minutes of regular time to go…. flicked over to the cricket and the West Indies were 4 for not many … ho humm and turned it off.
One dayers get the dud end of the draw as they are after the test matches and the tests get all the good dates. Perhaps the one dayers should be against different teams rather than the sides we have just seen play 3 tests.. A bit of mystery would really help, if this one day series was against say NZ then their would be a bit more interest I feel.
The Windies could come and play some one dayers the season the NZ test team tours and so on.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:00pm | Report comment
The writing is on the wall, has been for two years, and the ACB has been very slow to react.
Incredibly, people who wouldn’t have been seen dead at an ODI twenty years ago are now keen to endorse it and to worry about it’s demise.
If the ACB and various state bodies do not move swiftly to cash in on the growing trend for Twenty20 – the decision will be taken away from them by others with a keen eye for the bottom line.
Purists should rightly concern themselves about the long term viablility of the 4 and 5 day formats of the game, and be less concerned about whether ODIs can stand up to Twenty20.
ODIs dying a slow death said | February 8th 2010 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
There may be context to the lower than expected crowd, but expecting a crowd of only 35,000 anyway?
Says it all really doesn’t it?
It will be an exceptionally slow death though – Australia & NZ hosting the World Cup of ODIs in 2015 means we have at least another 5 years of ODIs to come.
And I can hardly see the World Cup being the last time the game is ever played! That would be incredibly strange – why even play the World Cup?
MattRusty said | February 8th 2010 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
I went to the 20/20 on Friday, it was a blast; everyone was in a good mood, party atmosphere, far less drunken idiots looking for attention and the game moved quickly.
I also went to the ODI yesterday; it was slow, dull and boring; we left after 10 overs of the WI innings; I’ve never walked out on a game before, but I had better things to do…like ironing my shirts for work this week. I was in a state of shock as we walked out of the MCG but I couldn’t see any point to being there…as go_the_wannabe’s said (and perhaps all that needs to be said) RIP ODI’s.
p.s I love test cricket and have the patience for it, but ODI’s…nup.
bever fever said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:53pm | Report comment
Where do we go after 20/20 ??.
Michael C said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:03pm | Report comment
a 20/20 + 20/20 mini test match – - – i.e. it replaces ODIs, becomes 40/40, but, in 2 innings per side. May still be as long a day as a 50/50, but, you know that
A. a team can be 5/30 after 8 overs batting first and it’s not game over yet -
and
B. you can head down after work and still see both teams have a bat/bowl/field and you simply enter a match at the half way mark with a bit of first innings context – a bit like mid way thru day 3 in a test match!!!!
MV Dave said | February 8th 2010 @ 4:53pm | Report comment
How much smashing of a ball can one watch…balls sailing over the fence/boundary on a monotonous regularity will kill 20/20 as well. There has to be a little bit of balance surely…no 40/40 please even in 2 innings.
Anyway l’m with the majority here and will repeat Redbs term… ODIs… Gonski!
It will end up with 20/20 financially supporting Tests (there were almost more players and officials than spectators at the India v SA test this weekend) with ODIs long gone.
bever fever said | February 8th 2010 @ 6:10pm | Report comment
How much smashing of a ball can one watch…
I can watch a lot, like the most of Australia i like to twatch a tonk through midwicket or cover drive than a pad/bat forward defensive shot.
But i agree with your sentiment.
Jay said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
the only thing keeping the pluse on ODIs is the fact that India is still in love with them. Yet arguably a great test series between south africa and India fails to sell half its tickets. go figure.
the administrators have not learned their lesson – next year we have 7 ODIs against england!!
having said that, i think odi’s still add value to cricket, but the quantity of the games played does not justify the popularity of the product.
the ideal set-up for the summer should be:
1. Big Bash with all Australian players
2. 3 test matches or a 5 test marquee series.
3. 3 ODI’s
4. 3 T20 internationals.
Go_the_Wannabe's said | February 8th 2010 @ 4:40pm | Report comment
OK we’ve all unaminously agreed ODI’s are dead and buried…..the last rites were given in Melbourne on Sunday and the obituaries have all been written today. Now how to commemorate and immortaize the occasion?
How about we make a trophy from something that epitomized ODI’s and present it to the winners of the next T20 world cup to recognize the superior game?……(something along these lines was done before when Oztralia first beat England in a test).
Here’s my suggestions for mounting on a trophy, but I’m tipping The Roarers out there can think of a few as well:
1. The ball that T Chapell bowled underarm.
2. The 52nd can Boonie drank on the flight to England.
3. The bat and ball chest chain worn by DK Lillee (or a headband).
4. Big Merv’s mo (or a suitable stuffed ferret).
5. G Boycott’s stiff upper lip.
Competition prizes:
1st: Dinner with B McKay
2nd: 2 dinners with B McKay
3rd: Dinner with G Lawson
Brett McKay said | February 8th 2010 @ 6:15pm | Report comment
and lucky winners they’d be…
It’s been said above that ODIs will still be around until at least 2015, so the one-day game it certainly not dead yet. We may well see format changes though, maybe even before then.
GtWs, you might be surprised to read this previous column of mine: http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/09/01/ecb-forces-one-day-cricket-rethink/ – where I flagged that I could see the lead of England and South Africa being followed, and the one-day game is shortened to 40 overs a side. Feel free to have a read, if you get around your current preconception of my thoughts.
There still has to be something between Twenty20 and Test cricket though. Already this summer we’ve had Mohammad Yousuf blaming his team’s inability to bat out a day on the amount of 50 and 20 over cricket played. Tests would barely last last three days without ODIs..
Dogs Of War said | February 8th 2010 @ 7:22pm | Report comment
To be honest, I think they need to go back to the 3 team series that was so successful for so many years. It means touring teams can lose games, yet reach a final and make the ODI seem more important an event that it really is.
Go_the_Wannabe's said | February 9th 2010 @ 10:29am | Report comment
Personally I like the T20 mini test match concept from MichaelC above……..sort of like 2 innings in baseball but without the boring bits……believe me, people will never get tired of seeing the ball disappearing into the stands for 40 overs….(I can’t believe someone actually said that!).
The 50 over game consists of pushing 1’s and 2’s for 40 overs and then a hitout in the last 10. Nobody really wants to see the first 40 overs……they actually go to see the last 10 don’t they?
Give the people want they want and just play T20.
The crowd at Adelaide today should be interesting.
Go_the_Wannabe's said | February 9th 2010 @ 10:37am | Report comment
BTW I read your article and 40 over ODI’s makes sense to me…….the only change I would make is that field restrictions are permanently in place i.e. only 3 fielders allowed outside the circle…..ever. That would liven up those boring middle overs, it would be game on from the get go……
Brett McKay said | February 9th 2010 @ 11:04am | Report comment
GtWs, I’ve long held the belief that the best field restriction never to see the light of day internationally, was the system used in Aust in the season or two before Powerplays were introduced.
The system was the standard 2 out in the first 15 overs, but then from 16-30, only 3 were allowed out (which is the PP system now). It meant that teams that got off to a good start could keep accelerating, and if they lost early wickets they could consolidate, but still take advantage of the field being up and build an innings.
For the bowling teams, it meant they could keep attacking fields for longer, and could really strangle a team with the field if they got early wickets.
It also meant that by the 31st over, once 5 were allowed out, batting teams pretty much kept going; there was very little of the “working the ones” we now see between the bowling and batting PPs are taken.
Unfortunately, it was only ever used in Australia, but it ws a great system, produced great one-day cricket, and in turn, the local one-dayers got good crowds (think Sundays at North Sydney, or Adelaide, Hobart, real family situations).
A move to 40 overs would bring back a similar spectacle, if the field restrictions or PPs are developed accordingly. 2 out for the first 15, only one more for the next 15, and then the last ten overs. You’d see proper innings and partnership-building, rather than the desperation that T20 brings.
And that’s also why I maintain you need something in the gap between Tests and T20. It’s not about being a stick in the mud as you preconceived me above, rather it’s about wanting to see a decent contest between bat and ball in several different and required formats…
Jay said | February 9th 2010 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Pro40s may be the only way that forward for ODI’s.
With the rules also – they should only allow batting powerplays to be used before the last 10 overs, because lets face it, the last 10 are smash and bash anyway. it seems counter productive to liven up the middle overs only to have the batting side use it in the last 5.
roary said | February 8th 2010 @ 6:21pm | Report comment
25 years ago, you would have had 70k + for an Aussie v. Windies fixture. Nowadays you get what the fixture deserves. Both teams are full of no names, half baked all rounders. Back when the World Series Cup was a major crowd puller it had top teams out here every year, playing for their lives. It was big bucks to the winners, big attendances everywhere and great cricket. There were very few one day tournaments on back then. Maybe a 3 game series tacked onto a test series and only occasionally you would tour. Nowadays the teams are always on tour.
There are a number of factors that I see as the downfall of the great one-dayer.
Here is a brief list.
# teams were full of genuine stars – the West Indies of the 80s was arguably the best side ever. You got the same guys in the one dayers as the tests so you got to know their stars. Nowadays, you get two different sides in tests and one dayers. It makes creating box office stars tougher. If you are not good enough to play tests, why would you be good enough in a one dayer?
# Back in the day you had a weak Australia who were the underdog. This attracted fans hoping our battlers would pull off an upset and turn over all conquering West Indies, England or Pakistan. We have dominated the game for 20 years now and noone has really challenged us. The Australian public is bored of winning. And we get lousy tourists here now. West Indies are a glorified club side, Pakistan is a rabble it is a poor standard in international cricket now by comparison to the greatest era which had the best depth.
# over supply. Too many one dayers with no point. All these matches they are playing are basically exhibition fixtures. They count for nothing. 20/20 counts for even less. If I was running the game I would make ever series count. Over a 4 year period make every top level international side play each other once in a series. That series counts overall to qualification of the World Cup. Only the top 6 sides play in the World Cup. At the moment the World Cup is a rubbish tournament. The old World Series Cup format was tougher.
The solution is to reduce the supply and only play quality fixtures with the best players, playing for big stakes.