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One day cricket is becoming an increasingly complicated format for cricket lovers.
In the T20 age, one day matches can appear ponderous and are becoming increasingly marginalised in the cricketing calendar.
However, the paradox is that the biggest international prize in world cricket is still the 50-over World Cup, to be held in Australia in 2015.
For this season at least, one day cricket holds an important position in the schedule.
Domestically, the format of the one day competition has undergone numerous changes since it was introduced in 1969-70, with frequent competition format changes and even different teams being added to the traditional state teams (New Zealand and the ACT).
However, Cricket Australia have now found a competition format that not only works for the players’ schedules, but will help Australia at the World Cup.
The current carnival-tournament format, taking place over three weeks at the start of the season, replicates the playing conditions of a major international tournament.
Last year, the entire tournament took place in Sydney, played at Bankstown Oval, Hurstville Oval and North Sydney Oval, which hosted the final.
This year, the tournament is split between Brisbane and Sydney, which means all teams and players are exposed to travelling and staying away for a tournament, along with playing in different conditions.
NSW player Ben Rohrer, when asked about the new format on GEM in the match between NSW and Queensland at the Gabba on Friday, said that all the players enjoy the new tournament and both appreciate and benefit from being able to focus on one format exclusively.
Australian selector Andy Bichel told Ian Healy in commentary that performances in this tournament could affect their thinking for the World Cup squad.
Young players, such as Queensland’s 25-year-old Simon Milenko, who scored 54 from 39 on debut against NSW on Friday, as well as fringe players like Ben Cutting are exposed to high-level tournament play early in their careers. This shows they can cope with playing in this situation.
For the spectators, there are pros and cons.
Playing all the games in Sydney means fans of the other state teams are relegated to watching it on TV, although as the games are mostly televised on free-to-air there is still access.
For spectators in the host cities though, having the games played at smaller grounds, like Allan Border Field in Brisbane, is a huge bonus. They are able to get up close to the players and enjoy a better connection with the game.
The smaller grounds also tend to have smaller boundaries than the Test venues, and North Sydney Oval was certainly small enough for fans to be treated to a multitude of sixes last year, reminding them how explosive one day cricket can be.
I’m not sure where next year’s tournament will be played, but I would like to see it move around the country. Interest generated among local spectators, who will only see domestic one day cricket live sporadically, will give the competition added prestige.
The tournament moves to Sydney after this weekend’s matches in Brisbane, with the final taking place at the SCG on 26th October. The round-robin matches will be played at North Sydney Oval, Bankstown Oval and Drummoyne Oval over the next two weeks, giving Sydney based Roarers the chance to catch some early season one day cricket before the World Cup.
One day matches are sandwiched in character between the stoicism of first-class cricket and the slap and tickle of T20. It could be argued that one day cricket is fading into insignificance as a result.
But as long as there is a World Cup, there will be a place for one day cricket, and by playing domestic one day cricket in this tournament format, Australian cricket is giving its stars the best possible preparation.
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