Adam Gilchrist’s prediction in The Age that One Day International cricket will be dead in three years is right on the money. The only thing that can save it is, well, money.
The one dayer has become something of a middle child. Solid old big brother Test cricket is off doing his own thing, seemingly unaffected by the world. The fans are fussing over little T20, admiring how bright and cute the little fella is.
Meanwhile, ODI seems to just be standing in the corner, only getting attention when the public are forced to listen to a boring story about his school grades because Test is in another country and T20 is asleep.
The ODI was invented in the 70s to bring viewers, spectators, and money back into the cricket establishment.
It was easy to grasp for both punters and purists. It was exciting. It was family friendly. There was always something to occupy the attention. Games could be played at night – great for viewers and spectators wanting to attend.
The problem for the 50 over format is that its role is now being fulfilled by the 20 over game. In fact, the previous sentences about ODI history are remarkably similar to the story of the T20, just without the rebels and boycotts.
The shorter format is basically just taking the 20 most exciting overs of a one day game (the start and end) without the middle, first to second gear, single pushing core.
T20 is definitely the new vogue for the cricket fan. This can be seen simply by comparing the domestic crowd figures of the 20 over Big Bash League and the 50 over Ryobi Cup.
There have already been four regular season BBL games this year with higher attendances then last year’s Ryobi Cup final. I know when this writer got his cricket draw for the summer in the mail, he groaned at the thought of 10 meaningless ODIs.
T20 has also taken over the role as innovator. I never really warmed to the whole ODI power play idea, especially as they were always used as soon as possible. Then T20 bought in those lovely glowing stumps when they bails are dislodged. Seriously, I hope that it takes off, especially for potential run outs and stumpings.
Have a buzzer for when a bat touches a line, lights or buzzer first? No more ageing third umpires still trying to work out remote controls! (I would actually like to see field umpires given a tablet, such as an iPad, to do the review themselves).
I would rather see two Twenty20 games, for 80 exciting overs, then a one dayer with 40 of them. It would be easy to go on about T20 being the future of ‘casual cricket’, but I think the point has been made. So what position does the one day international now hold?
Firstly, it is still a money spinner. Particularly due to the fact you can fit a lot more advertising into 100 overs then you can into 40 (though the shorter format is trying hard).
I’m sure the Board of Cricket Control India would like to keep as many forms of the game going as possible. We have also seen how the ICC can stretch a World Cup out to take a potentially infinite amount of time, heck; they even turned the lights out in the West Indies to stretch the game out a bit.
So there is potential for more cricket, and let’s face it, the ICC has never been scared of more cricket.
Perhaps ODIs will become the breeding ground for future Test players, due to the higher perceived amount of ‘pure’ strokes. Perhaps there will be some new ground breaking rule that will revitalise one dayers.
I doubt it. If one dayers survive for longer than Gilchrist predicts, it will be on a life support pumping in dollars and not much else.
ambanwala
Roar Rookie
On one hand existence of 3 formats has over complicated the game, but it is sad if we loose the beauty of the ODI's.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
T20 is only popular because some rich guys had the opportunity to buy brand new franchises and fill it with the best cricketers and have some cheerleaders there to entertain the whatever....... Yes without money T20 would have been another Hong Kong sixes.
Joe
Guest
50 over cricket would have died regardless of t20, people dont have the time to spend 8 hours at a sporting event these days,you need to make a day of it, even the 3 hour big bash is starting to become tedious....the only sport that can hold the publics attention for 3 hours in this country is the afl, rugby league/rugby and soccer are 80 and 90 minute matches which works well for those codes. The ratings are high for t20 becase its a good tv product, hnce the high ratings but the dismall crowds so far.
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
The UK are noted poor marketers. I go to all sports especially the NRL and AFL but I have never been to a more exciting sport than T20. I went to my first game last year not expecting much but not only was it highly entertaining, but it converted my 12 yo son, who now loves cricket. It is easy to see why it rates so highly on TV, but it is also a big winner with punters around the world. To give you an idea, the Australian Test Team have just played 2 days of a 5 day Test v SL and on the exchange have matched bets of $5.3million. The Big Bash games which only last 40 overs have been averaging over $17million. If you multiply five BBL games who get $85million, not bad. The time slots are attractive for the big Indian and UK punters.
mark
Guest
T-20 is dieing in the UK where it was born. The crowds stopped going over 12 months ago which might be an indicator of this version of the games sustainability. What they've found over there is that t-20 brought new crowds and sponsorships but these new crowds and therefore new sponsors are withdrawing their support for cricket. At the end of the day the game is still cricket, it still has elements of being boring that only the die hards will suffer ie the game takes place in the middle of the oval so live crowds are therefore far from the action at all times and it still takes time for the bowler to walk back to their mark. So the actual time the ball is in play is minimal. Once the novelty wears off you are left with cricket.... and cricket is a niche sport in westernised countries with so many other sports to choose from, it is not a sport for the masses and it never will be no matter how many new versions we can come up with. It is the die hard fans that we need to still cater for and i think they still want odi's and tests. lets not jump so deep on the band wagon that we can't get off if it is too late.
Johnno
Guest
Another good article I found on USA cricket, developing and the various hotbeds epsecially New York. And tlaking about the India/Pakistan/West Indies populations, being central too this growth.
Johnno
Guest
Some people deathriding T20 over a few average big bash crowds, too early in the season might add. TV ratings are though the roof, and T20 is such an easy sport to expand like sevens rugby, beach soccer, indoor soccer, 3 on 3 basketball, beach volley ball, , mayeb rugby league nine's one day. In other words any modified version. I see both T20 booming in both Canada and USA, . Already Canada has had a cricket boom, and cricket is doing well in New York to, and in Toronto. What do these 2 places have in common. Big Indian and Pakistan populaltions, so kids of these parents are turning to cricket, and also big west indies popualtion in New York, Jamiacan for example. England has a big Indian popualtion and Pakistan poplualtion, and we have seen plenty of England test cricketers of Indian heritage. We will see more in OZ too over the next 20 years. But India and Pakistan have played quite a few ODI series in Canada over the years to with good tv ratings and crowds success. Kenya is not bad at T20 cricket. So USA/Canada will get very good at T20 over the next 20 years , but will never most likely ever be good enought o play test cricket if it still will exist in 50 years, but T20 definatly. A IPL style T20 tournament in the USA is being planned, with an obvious heavy content of west indies players taking part in the various franchises. And New Zeland is having quite a big involvment too. Test cricket espeicially now it is only played seirosuly by 4 teams now, simply won't be able to compete with the T20 dollars, which will eventually erode into the big 4 , especially India as we are seeing now with there recent test cricket efforts. Reality is test cricket needs a strong India, otherwise then the only real series that can draw serious global attention and big revenue will be the Ashes. Australia-STH Africa series really only appeals to the 2 countries, the Ashes is wide reaching to all cricket fans in all cricket countries. But this T20 league I think will be a hit, the one in Bangladesh did well, so far more commercial potential in USA. ODI cricket needs a few rule changes. 1 is go to 40 over per innings cricket. And ODI will survive as long as the demand for ODI cricket in India is still there. Cricket Australia made a fortune out of the ODI triangular tournament last year coz of India participating. There are talks to make ODI cricket more meaningful each series, may count towards things like World cup seeding, or world cup places , so encouraging developing teams like Irleand the chance to play more and get a regular spot , or Canada or Afghanistan, or the Netherlands. EIther way I think T20 is very healthy overall and will only get bigger, as the game develops more and more on a technical level which it is doing. like sevens rugby, T20 cricket is quite simple and will attract alot of new countries to cricket, it as a sport T20 has global appeal, it doesn't need the Olympic;s to develop exposure , as it can hold many tournaments all around the wolrd, IPL, T20 champions league, other T20 leagues etc. I can'r see for much longer , players haveing the ability to play all 3 forms, to demanding a workload and schedule. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/9616182/American-dream-of-T20-league-could-hit-English-game.html