To the purists, Twenty20 is a series of glittering moments minus context – but maybe that’s what the regular fans want.
Cricket will never be football; for all of the ICC’s expansionist ideas, it will never spread to 100 countries. It’s a game that reveals itself in layers; it’s a game that demands commitment and not fleeting indulgence.
And, as recent series between Australia and South Africa demonstrated, Test cricket, when it’s a contest, can keep large audiences thoroughly absorbed for days.
I like Twenty20, I really do. I know it’s here to stay, and as long as I choose to write about cricket, I feel an obligation to watch the game and write about it but the Big Bash is only a week old and already it seems to have started a long time ago.
I’m still coming to terms on how to best enjoy the shortest format of the game. Perhaps, it’s best to enjoy the moments but for many, that will take time because it is not the way ‘we’ grew up watching the game.
Yes, cricket is about subplots, many subplots that will determine the overall result but a lot more goes into determining those moments.
In Twenty20, the moments are the plot. Games can often be decided by one innings, one spell, one over: it is cricket without pauses. You flow with the tide, soak in the atmosphere, and come back for more the next day. It’s designed to give you a kick but not to linger.
It’s easy to see why Twenty20 has a future. The format is far less demanding on the spectator: it requires much less patience, engagement, and understanding of the nuances. Most of all, it is short and something is happening all the time. People having a good time can’t be such a bad thing after all. Can it?
I wasn’t at all shocked when former Aussie wicketkeeper, Adam Gilchrist predicted that the 50-over format will be “dead and buried in three years” as he is not the first person to voice this opinion and you can bet your bottom dollar he won’t be the last.
In response, cricket authorities are adamant that the ‘middle child’ is here to stay. The enormous television revenue the 50-over game generates here and, importantly, on the subcontinent means it is going nowhere. Instead, powerbrokers are intent on radical changes to bring the format back to life.
CA have a 10-point plan to address one-day cricket. Some of that line of attack has already come to fruition in the form of rule changes and tweaks.
There was the trial of split innings, since removed and rejected by the ICC, in the Ryobi Cup two summers ago, leniency on leg-side wides and the introduction of new balls at each end, and an allowance for more bouncers, which have been taken up internationally.
Fans won’t wait long for these changes to be implemented but the facts are the process is a slow one. Not only have you got to convince your own playing conditions committee, then you’ve got to take it to the ICC cricket committee and they need to consider it on the basis of international cricket.
Unlike many sports, cricket is fortunate to have choice of different formats but there’s no denying the balancing act will always be a difficult task. What’s too much cricket for one person is not enough for another.
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