In the current climate of Australian cricket, it’s quite rare to see the captain of the Australian cricket team receive anything bar criticism.
But Michael Clarke’s recent decision to opt out of this summer’s lucrative Big Bash Twenty20 league was a refreshing and surprising step in the right direction, in a long series of back-peddling bizarre movements
In fact, the set up and prioritisation of this new Twenty20 league over the future of Test cricket, has been yet another bizarre decision from Cricket Australia as they chase the quick earning dollar, as opposed to maintaining the integrity and success of the national Test side.
Up until about four years ago, our national Test side were the epitome of sport in this country, and typified the classic Australian spirit.
Hard working and likable players like Justin Langer, Glenn McGrath and Adam Gilchrist were the reason that fans came to watch.
Nowadays, all it takes is a photo of David Warner and Steve Smith on a billboard, and you’ve sold out the SCG. But is that really cricket?
The most detrimental effect that the new Big Bash League will have on Australian cricket’s landscape, is the way it slowly kills off the Sheffield Shield competition.
What was once the key area for scope and development of cricket in Australia will no doubt be slowly killed off by the passing trend that is Twenty20 cricket.
In Australian Test cricket’s recent era of success, a large factor was the level of depth available at Shield cricket. We had players like Simon Katich, Mike Hussey and Stuart Clark all setting an unbelievable standard at domestic level, which would have only been beneficiary to the national side. A strong domestic competition is the key to long lasting success.
At the moment, the Sheffield Shield is at its weakest, and Cricket Australia is doing very little to help address this issue.
In a more competitive domestic competition, the recent form of players like Ricky Ponting, Marcus North and Mitchell Johnson would be far heavier scrutinised, which would only be good for the game.
Stuart Clark, in a recent article, said that there needs to be far greater development of the state sides and the state competition. Players like Steve Smith should be forced to spend lengths of time at domestic level, rather than throwing them out into the deep end of international cricket.
Blooding players for youth is a common and effective tool in AFL football, but I’m not so sure it transcends over to cricket. If a player is playing his career best cricket at age 36, then he should be playing in the national side over a player only in the side for experience.
There is also an argument to be made that Twenty20 cricket is producing a weaker brand of cricketers. The big money thrown by both the IPL and now the Big Bash League makes the boyhood dream of pulling on the baggy green all that less allusive. The boy would rather debut with the Kings Punjab.
I know it’s all well and good to outline the ways in which Cricket Australia is ruining the integrity of Test cricket, but what can be done about it? I don’t think that the new branded Big Bash idea will be beneficial to Australian cricket at all (apart from financially). Had the money been used on the development of the domestic league, then the national Test side may have not been the embarrassment it is today.
It’s the equivalent of having a termite problem in your house, and purchasing a new plasma TV. You’ve just given us something nice to look at, as opposed to fixing the problem.
Johnno
Guest
This is the qeustion that i have an believe will happen. I am born in 1979 and love test cricket. However in the last year or 2 maybe it is just the aussie side is no longer the team it was, but the only test cricket that i actually care about is the ASHES. And i hope that goes on forever or at leasts lasts in my lifetime. i have not cared about the Eng-india series on right now, cricket tours to south africa however i do liKE them when they are here but don't despratlye care if they were not on, like the ASHES I would be heartbroken if they or the Britsh and Irish lions rugby union series die to. So yes i am regular cricket fan who used to love the Windies up until 1995, would lovedd to of seen them in there hay days of the 70's 80's but happy to of seen 5 good years in the 90's( Ambrose, Lara wow what 2 great cricketers). USED TO WATCH ALL THE ODIS UP UNTIL 1999 cricket world cup. now just watch the finals matches of the cricket world cup not the group stages. But this is the point about care. I'd say now the people born after 1985 onwards no longer care about test cricket except the ASHES. Accoridng to all these market research done by various cricket boards and adminstrators , this age group people born after say 1985 and women which I also find a fascinating and untapped sports fan demograhpic , these groups embrace T/20 and reject ODI and test cricket. women never have liked league but like AFL and union why i don't no, and soccer im not sure if they are into soccer I don't no, but girls love to play soccer judging by participation numbers and the women's world cup. So the point to Tests cricket fans which ifall into, are out of touch and the masses are embracing T/20 that is the younger masses people born after 1985 and onwards. Crowds staticsics reflect that to. This demographic go to T/20 over test cricket. So your regular 20 year old male indian cricket fan born in 1990 would rather watch the IPL than say a india V South Africa test series. so T/20 is the game for the the game for the younger masses not test cricket which is becomeing the increasingly minority group now in this age group(born after 1985) , and the ASHES is becoming a fourth identity or 4th version of cricket as it is so different to regular test cricket now in energy and polar universal interest ( like and olympics, rugby and soccer world cup, tour DE france, Melbourne cup) from all sections of society from aussies and english, to rich to poor, all cultures , religions, and ethnic backgrounds, as it embraces fans from all forms of cricket and sports fans not just cricket fans on a world wide level. You only have to watch satelitte tv news networks which broadcasts all around the world India of course, and the lead world sports stories when it is on is the ASHES. So T/20 big bash like the IPl is a recognition of seeing if there is mass interest in T/20. i am not a fan but i am not in the age group that loves it or in the demographic of woman a very interesting and still i would say unknown mystery when seeing what's sports they are fans of and why they go to watch sport. I am not talking about playing sport or sports participation, I am talking about female sports fans, still a mysterious and still unknown and untapped still sports demographic for the media networks.
Daniel Cherny
Guest
Precisely right. That Trent Copeland is in the test squad yet will be poorly paid because he couldn't land a Big Bash contract epitomises the skewed priorities.
simon.kerrigan
Roar Rookie
Cricket fans should really care, as its slowly making the test team worse and worse
Joseph
Guest
The only mistake being made here is thinking the masses actually care whether the Sheffield Shield dies or not. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.