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Let’s assume for the purpose of this exercise, the board of Cricket Australia (Cricket Australia) has appointed me as Benevolent Dictator (BD) in order to fix the domestic game. Silly them!
The beauty of a BD is that you do what is right for the majority, and the future. With respect to cricket, the BD talks with experts in their various fields, and with the fans, then makes his decisions accordingly.
A BD doesn’t have to organise meaningless committees and sub-committees, who either make no decision at all, or a very stupid recommendation, or simply hand pass suggestions back and forth.
So these are some of the things I would do.
Not that I’m basing my recommendations on past history. When I think back, Australian cricket did some very good things at different times. The problem is they didn’t do all the good things at the same time!
1. Assuming Test cricket remains the ultimate form of the game for both players and fans, then the Sheffield Shield (SS) must be given its pre-eminent position once more.
2. The BD recognises we can’t go back completely to the past. Having Test players appear in ALL SS matches is no longer practical. But we want a season where they can play most matches. ‘Most’ meaning about 7 out of 10.
3. This then returns the SS to its primary core function – a final finishing school whereby up and coming champions of the future, play alongside and against current and past champions, in turn, being exposed by them, learning from them, and being mentored by them.
4. Since we need our leading players for Test duty and majority SS duty, the BD then acknowledges that it is simply impossible to accommodate two shortened forms of the game (the BD is a Benevolent Dictator, but he is not God!). Consequently, one of the shortened forms must go.
5. The BD would prefer to retain 50 overs a side limited overs cricket, but accepts that the younger generation is infatuated with Twenty20 cricket, or the “Big Bash”, as the spin doctors like to call it. So it’s Twenty20 in, and Limited Overs out.
6. The home season would then encompass the Test team playing about 5 (single tour) or 6 Tests (twin tours) series; a full double round of Sheffield Shield between 6 states (10 matches each plus final); and a single round of Twenty20 (5 matches each plus semis and a final).
7. Players not appearing either for the Test team, their state or Twenty20 team (on a spare weekend) can return to grade cricket, which in turn would benefit from having leading players mixing with up and comers.
8. The BD recognises, as mentioned above, we cannot go back completely to the ways of yore. I am referring to the tens of thousands upon thousands who attended every day of a Test or SS match. Today we have many more alternative forms of entertainment to distract us away from cricket.
9. However, the BD realises cricket must be more flexible in the manner it attracts fans. The BD would remind fans that back in the 1977-79 days of WSC, not only was Limited Overs cricket played as day-night fixtures, but also ‘super’ Test matches, as they were called.
10. Consequently, all forms of cricket above grade cricket will be played as day-night fixtures. Test and SS matches will begin of Fridays through to Monday or Sunday respectively. The exception being the Boxing day and New year’s day Tests which would start on slightly different days as required.
11. With the move to day-night fixtures, a whole day can be lopped of both Test and SS matches, but the net loss of overs would be minimal. Test matches would run Friday to Monday day-night of 7.5 hours per day ( a net loss of no hours and no overs). SS matches would be over 3 day-nights each of 7.5 hours (a net loss of only 1.5 hours, or about 22-23 overs).
12. Ticketing would have to be extremely flexible to attract fans for either one, two or three session of a single day-night. Friday afternoon and evening might attract city workers. The weekend afternoon and evening sessions might attract families, or young singles after their day sporting activities. And so on.
13. The ‘nay-sayers’ will say you can’t have day-night matches because they haven’t found a suitable coloured ball as yet. So how long should we wait? 50 years? 100 years?
14. The BD reminds the ‘nay-sayers’ that back in 1944, General Eisenhower gave the ‘go-ahead’ for the Normandy landings by Allied troops in Germany occupied France on the basis of “minimally tolerable weather conditions”. Institute day-night Test and SS matches immediately, and the solution of the appropriately coloured ball will be found in due course.
15. The Australian Cricket Academy (ACricket Australia) will reflect the state of the nation. Players will be taught the basics of both long form and short form cricket, and be expected as professional players to change focus from one form to the other and back again.
16. The BD instructs that the multi-layer of coaches at all levels will cease. One head coach, and perhaps one assistant coach, and that’s it! When and where required, specialists can be called in to advise players either one-on-one or in groups.
17. It is the opinion of the BD that this multi-layering of coaches has totally lost its significance, with coaches placing their own survival ahead of the players needs. Furthermore, in an endeavour to justify their existence and retain their high wage packets, these coaches are sending out either conflicting or totally counter-productive and useless messages.
18. The board of the Cricket Australia will get back to its basic priority, which is the governance, development and continued well-being of Australian cricket. It will be made clear to broadcasters, sponsors, merchandisers, marketeers and all the other carpet-baggers, that the cricket and the players come first.
19. Whatever gains these other people hope for, can only be acquired once the needs of the players and fans have been satisfied.
20. Women will be given similar top priority to the men, they also having a regular Test program, a SS like comp as well as Twenty20. The Sheffield Shield’s equivalent for women will be called the Shevill Cup (SC) after a remarkable set of four sisters – two sets of twins – three of whom played Test cricket for Australia in the 1930s, and the fourth achieved state level (google them!).
21. So the structure of the season will international Test matches and Twenty20; Sheffield Shield (men) and Shevill Cup (women); Futures League (2nd XI U/23 with exemption of four older players up to 30); various age group comps; grade and suburban (shire) comps; secondary, primary, junior, regional and country schools comps; a Country Cup for state and territory regional (country) players.
Well, if I’ve forgotten anything, I’ll pick it up as we go.
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