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Listening to Australian T20 captain George Bailey’s presser following their thrilling victory in the shortened second match at Durban, I had one of those rare moments of clarity; a visionary experience, where the future of cricket presented itself before me.
With all of the tinkering in recent years with different formats, players, fans and broadcasters have every right to feel dazed and confused.
There is, however, one final tweak which I’m certain will solve all issues and provide the global cricket community with a sustainable path forward.
I have completed a dossier outlining the new structure, run it past Dave Warner’s brother for his approval, and it is now ready to be forwarded to cricket’s governing body, the BCCI.
But before doing so I take this opportunity to provide readers of The Roar with an exclusive first look.
First, some background.
Bailey was delighted that, with the match shortened to seven overs per side, his team came out of the sheds with a sharp focus to start well and were able to maintain pressure on the opposition throughout the match.
Indeed, it is surely a source of pride for all Australians that this team was able to maintain concentration for all 14 overs – such mental strength is a quality to be treasured.
But what of the hapless South Africans? Fourteen overs was clearly a few too many for them, and by the end of the Australian run chase they resembled an exhausted, tired and broken rabble.
Watching the match, I enjoyed the opening salvos and the cut-and-thrust of the middle section, but frankly I lost interest towards the end.
The inescapable conclusion being that the match was simply too long, which confirms the unerring conclusion that the path forward for cricket is to reduce all matches, in all formats, to five overs per side.
The benefits are limitless and most, if not all, of what we dislike about cricket today will be eliminated.
Currently, matches are simply too predictable and too boring.
Many cricket fans are simply turning off, preferring instead to watch paint dry, grass grow, or watch Jana Pittman/Rawlinson fill out yet another government application form for the taxpayer to fund whatever pastime she feels like taking up next.
As for the cricket itself, who gets any enjoyment from watching a hack like Ryan Harris hobble in, over upon over, on one dodgy knee and half a good one, probing the off stump ball after ball?
I will gladly allow a crack torture squad to pull out my toenails one by one and force me to watch Real Housewives of Melbourne on loop, rather than ever again having to endure Brendan McCullum selfishly scratching around for 302 runs, as if he had some sense of entitlement to take over the game like that.
Cricket has a duty of care to its players and the mental disintegration of Jonathan Trott and Graeme Smith this summer has been excruciating to watch.
The new T5 format would allow for poor shots and three-ball innings to be viewed in an entirely different context – not as abject failure, but as unselfishly sacrificing one’s wicket for the greater team cause.
And what of the umpires? Let’s face it, we all hate Billy Bowden and his over-rehearsed, bent finger routine, but even he would be almost tolerable for a 10-over match.
Having spoken with some of the players, they are united behind this move to the shortened version.
Ricky Ponting has shown the way to a post-cricket career in professional golf, and any initiative which allows for more time on the practice range for today’s cricketers will help them along the same route.
Also on board are the bookmakers.
Longer forms of the game mean too many possibilities, too many forms of betting. They will be able to cut back on staff, no longer requiring a specialist to frame a market on whether the third ball of the 17th over will be a wide or not.
That said, there may still be opportunities for new exotic bets, such as nominating a fielder who completes three successive T5 matches without actually fielding a ball.
The T5 format is perfect for television, neatly filling the three-hour evening prime time block from 6.30-9.30pm, broken down as follows;
Five overs per side, four minutes per over, 20 minutes each innings, total 40 mins.
Innings break for players to rest and rehydrate properly, total 40 mins.
Repeated reverse angle replays for front foot no-balls, total 40 mins.
Station promos and adverts for buckets of greasy chicken, total 60 mins.
If ever a game was made for television, T5 is it.
The naysayers will no doubt seize on the point that an abbreviated T5 format limits the scope for all players to shine.
Is it fair that Australian squad members Moises Henriques, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Dan Christian won’t get the opportunity to capture the public’s attention and stamp themselves as star international players, just as they do now?
Spare a thought also for past greats like Bill Lawry, Geoffrey Boycott and Glenn Trimble, all of whom would be perfect for the T5 format but who will sadly never have the opportunity to display their skills.
Regret is a pointless pursuit, and with the possible exception of Mickey Arthur and Adam Parore, no cricket identity today has any real reason to feel regretful.
If there is a serious downside, the careers of some young players, who are just making their way in the longer forms of the game, will have to be re-adjusted to suit the new five-over format.
Most Roarers will have followed Shane Watson’s blossoming career with interest, and I’m sure will agree that he is on the cusp of emerging as a quality Test match batsman.
A shift to the T5 format means that we will now never see him make the first-innings tons that we know are just around the corner. The trade-off is that there is surely no player in world cricket better suited to the five-over game.
Like all good ideas, it isn’t always the quality of the idea itself but the timing which proves its genius. The Boonie doll, for example, was an average idea which turned into a runaway success because it was right for its time.
Hands up those who know that the World T20 cricket championship is being played right now. And keep your hand up if you care and you’re engaged with it.
See where I’m heading with this?
Now put both hands up if you’d jump in, all guns blazing if the competition was changed to a T5 format?
I thought so.