The flame is extinguished. The air has been let out of the balloon. All hope is lost.
» Listen to Cam chatting on ABC Newcastle Radio with Gerry Collins (mp3)
The excitement in Australian cricket generated firstly from the Darren Lehmann appointment and secondly from the Ashton Agar/James Pattinson-led rearguard in the first Test at Trent Bridge has given way to resignation and accusation.
We can’t win. We’re hopeless. The future is bleak.
Our batting line-up is as stiff as a bowl of jelly. A bunch of pampered, privileged hacks of little talent and even less discipline. Sack them all.
Every cricket writer in the country has determined that the fish rots at the head, lining up to whack Cricket Australia, and what a target they provide. It has made for some of the best sports-writing of the year.
No doubt Cricket Australia is to blame for their disgraceful inability to plan for the future of Test cricket in this country, blinded by dollar signs in their eyes in the form of the ever-expanding Big Bash League.
It’s been well noted how gleeful the press release accompanying its launch was, mere hours after our darkest moment, the Aussie humiliation at Lord’s.
While we all wish that sporting organisations were pure of motive and put the welfare of the sport above bank balances, we live in a world where this simply isn’t the case. The AFL for instance, as put by David Schwarz, is one of many drunk on gambling revenue.
The BBL is apparently the future, the money-spinner, so every resource gets poured its way to make it bigger and more successful, including getting priority over first class and Test matches in the middle of prime cricket season.
The message from head office is clear.
Never mind that Test matches, supposedly the pinnacle of the game, and T20 are such polar opposites, they might as well be different sports.
Expecting cricketers to combine first class and T20 is like asking our elite footballers to prepare by playing professional ice-hockey, or getting horses training for the Melbourne Cup by being used exclusively for polo.
So, while Cricket Australia is certainly culpable for the failing batting standards of our first class cricketers, there is one other party even more to blame.
You.
That is, the fans of BBL. The ones who lap it up. The empty-headed masses with the attention span of goldfish.
You are the people who’ve allowed Cricket Australia to hijack the standards of Test cricket in this country. Let’s face it, the BBL wouldn’t grow if you didn’t keep attending the festivities or watching on TV.
Not for you the boring blandness of tight bowling and disciplined batting. Nothing worse than a few maiden overs in a row. Hell, you can’t even handle a couple of maiden balls.
Cricket is nothing without fireworks is it? Maybe some dancing girls. You can’t even deal with the lull that a change of overs provides. Music please. Louder! Louder!
So deluded have you become that you refuse to see the facts about your poster-child, David Warner. All you remember is the dazzling 180 runs off 159 balls he scored in a Test innings in Perth.
Twenty 4s! Five 6s! This is cricketing nirvana!
You haven’t noticed the 14 Tests since. You haven’t noticed a paltry 880 runs in 26 innings at an average of under 34. You write off a multitude of irresponsible and reckless shots as “that’s the way he plays”.
The extension of that should read “that’s the way he plays…in T20”.
Some of us actually remember a pre-T20 time when a player of untold natural talent spent two years in the wilderness being forced to change “the way he played”.
His name was Steve Waugh. If you don’t know what he did once he came back, you can look it up.
Nothing makes me sadder than seeing cricket followers I respect enjoying a game of BBL. Their tweets of excitement over an elevated ramp shot about are only matched by their tweets of despair during the next Test match batting collapse.
In many ways, they’re only getting what they deserve. Shame on them.
I wonder how many of you have been bemoaning the loose shots of Phil Hughes since his resumption at Test level? Probably the same amount applauding his 74 off 48 balls for his Adelaide franchise in December last year.
Strikers by nickname, striker by nature. They’re not called the Adelaide Patience and Leaving The Ball While Watching Closely Outside Off, are they?
Next time you’re wondering why Shaun Marsh has never come on from his century on debut in Sri Lanka, ask yourself if you were cheering his 85 of 52 balls for the Perth Scorchers when the Boxing Day Test was played last year. Get Scorched!
I’m reminded of one of my favourite sayings – if you chase two rabbits, both will escape.
Seems true to me, because we’re a basket-case at Test level, and even worse in T20.
So, are you going to blame Cricket Australia? Or turn that glare toward the mirror? Every time you watch a ball of BBL this summer, you’re doing your bit to ruin the already grim future of Australian Test cricket.
Frankly, you should be ashamed. I’d ask for a few minutes of self-reflection from you, but I daresay you’d be distracted within a few seconds, probably by an ad for the latest reality show, People Losing Weight While Getting Married To A Singing House.
For those wondering, my conscience is clear. I haven’t watched a ball of the revamped, artificial, plastic BBL.
After all, it’s just not cricket.
Andrew
Guest
Big Bash has killed Australian cricket. James Sutherland must be sacked. His priorities are all wrong. Other than Clarke, none of our batmen have any skill or patience whatsoever.
Brutas Mudcake
Guest
Here are a few facts to digest on this argument: http://www.theroar.com.au/2013/07/27/is-t20-really-hurting-the-australian-test-team/
Travis Newton
Guest
I'm not an Aussie. I'm an Englishman of West Indian heritage (basically an impartial outsider). Couldn't agree more with the article, this is exactly the same issue with West Indian cricket. Our "stars" Gayle, Pollard etc can barley make 20 at test level when there are no fielding/bowling restrictions and they are expected to bat all day. It's ridiculous!!
Ratheesh
Guest
I agree with some of your interesting points. And yes, T20 is not the only reason, but sure is the main reason. There some batsmen who are gifted to play test cricket. And most of the others develop their skill by playing more and more longer format games. T20 is a distraction to this. The players should play more 4 day games. Most of the players struggle to get adjusted if they are playing all 3 formats. Unable to have some patience while batting in tests in one such example. Easily giving away wickets. I agree, player needs to be blamed here and not the fan of T20. But why have T20 at all at first place. It is not even a sport. And the only way they can get rid of T20 is if people stop watching. That is what the author is trying to say, i think.
art pagonis
Guest
Cricket has 3 forms of the game. You only make the Australian team as a batter if you can bat....PERIOD. So, what England have done is train and perfect a batting system for all their batters in the 3 forms of the game. About 12-15 players only. They are taught Defensive Batting, Offensive Batting, Running between wickets, Shotmaking, Hitting over the TOP, and various other skills including the rules of the game (DRS etc). When they come thru this school of cricket, they are complete batsmen, able to bat in the 3 forms of the game. They do a similar plan for all their bowlers and fieldsmen and wicketkeepers. SO MUST WE!
Shiney McShine
Guest
I agree with part of what you say, but disagree with others. Let me say for the record that I love BBL and I love Test Cricket - but they are 2 totally different games. I love AFL football as well - are you blaming this love on the reason that our Test team is the worst in decades? I believe that it is the selectors who have got it wrong - there should be a rule that says if you play Test Cricket, then you don't play T20 and vice versa. Players should be forced to make a choice - a bit like a lot do between cricket and AFL. As Cam pointed out, Dave Warner & Phil Hughes are not Test Cricketers - they don't know how to tough it out when they have their backs to the wall...
Christopher Knox
Guest
I absolutely, positively, 100% agree with Cameron Rose's article. Is that clear enough?
josh
Roar Rookie
No, as well as not instead.
A Mans Not A Camel
Guest
guaranteed, it's not due to T20. There's a whole generation of top quality batsmen missing from Australian cricket, and, afraid to say it, but T20 has not been around that long. The kids people are saying are affected and therefore part of the problem - Warner, Hughes, Smith - all in early twenties. Khawaja mid twenties. Other than Clarke, who else in his age range has done anything to spark your interest as a test player? Between 26 to 32 (arguably when batsmen are starting to bat at their peak) there are very few test class players. T20 is not to blame, as these players were not brought up on it. My theory is because the test team was set in concrete so long, because we had the best side in the world by a country mile, there's a generation of batsmen that instead took up other careers, be it their winter sport, or regular jobs, because there was no hope of crakcing the best batting lineup in the world. Did not effect bowlers though, as other than Warne/McGrath, all other bowlers were chop & changed regularly enough for there to be a hope of a test birth.
A Mans Not A Camel
Guest
I was not told to barrack for any team. In fact, prior to the inception of BBL, I really didn't follow T20 - Australia were pretty pathetic at it. What I like about BBL, and Brisbane Heat, is that it's my local team, it's a family friendly atmosphere, I can go after work and see a whole game, they have members functions like the BBQ last year, where you rocked up, had a snag or two, some beer, played some cricket with the team, got autographs, and got to chat not only with the players but also coach. Cam, just because a club is new, does not mean you cannot passionate support it. As per Don - West Sydney in the soccer, Gold Coast in the AFL (I wont put GWS in that yet, have not caught a good supporter base), even North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL had some passionate support at conception. Honestly, it's a bit of a poor question though Cam, if the BBL did not exist, how could one have passion about a BBL team?
Ratheesh
Guest
Again, you are not looking at the bigger picture.. What do you think is the reason why CA has not been able to produce test quality batsman? It is not about how good/bad Cowan is in T20. Problem is, why the selectors struggle to find a replacement for him?
Tenash
Guest
Yeah cause Cowan is a t20 superstar who plays one t20 game after another !!
Cameron Rose
Expert
A good question Don, but I'm in no way across the A-League. Why do you think it is? My guess would be something to do with the club being more organic, didn't they go to the people of Western Sydney and get their genuine input? CA told people who to barrack for with their nonsensical blurbs about what the Melbourne and Sydney clubs represented.
Don Corleone
Guest
Just curious, Cameron, but why do you think it is that the passion of Western Sydney Warriors fans does not undergo such cynicism or scrutiny but is celebrated when the club is 12 months newer than the Big Bash League clubs?
Tenash
Guest
what an absolutely brilliant article that. Thanks for the link. all the people who have posted on this Cameron article need to read the above linked piece especially you Cam. and what a GEM of a line this :- *****There is however a significant difference between a journalist criticising the BBL based on facts and research, and demeaning the competition, and by extension its fans at every juncture with acts of microaggession and outright hostility. ***** just brilliant !
Ratheesh
Guest
And for people who are saying "Aus sucks at T20 too. So your theory is wrong".. Guys, please look at the bigger picture. When you take T20 out of the game, there would be naturally few more test quality batsmen. At least, batsmen with some patience. Cowan in the first innings of the first test, first ball he faces - chases the wide ball to give a catch to slip (and Finn gets 2 in 2). huh? how can you explain that shot!! shouldn't he be suspended for at least 3 tests for playing such a shot?
Tenash
Guest
interesting stat - Australia's last 6 Tests' wkt average : 1st 41.08 2nd 15.92 3rd 18.92 4th 30.17 5th 28.58 6th 20.08 7th 10.08 8th 25.25 9th 20.50 10th 41.64
Ratheesh
Guest
Excellent article, Cam. I can understand it comes from the heart of a frustrated cricket fan. Nothing annoys me more than watching a test batsman struggle to play for six dot balls in an over. It is not about the current bunch of players playing T20 too. Even scarier is, the bench strength of test quality batsmen and the future of test quality batsmen. Selectors have to go back to the Cowans and the Watsons again and again, hoping one day they will perform and live up to their expectations. Why? because there are no test quality batsmen available on bench to replace them. All behind T20.. T20 is such a disgrace. Promoting T20 is showing disrespect to the loyal and long term audience of the game..
Tenash
Guest
another bit of interesting info => 4 - Australians (Hughes, Siddle, Cowan and Smith) have the four highest Test DEFENSIVE shot percentages of 2013 (minimum of 500 balls faced) thats obviously the handiwork of that vile BBL !!
Tenash
Guest
common Don , don't spoil Nick's & Cam's T20 bashing party by bringing in COLD, HARD FACTS into the mix :D FACTS just don't cut it with these T20-Bitters !!