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Cricket Australia, you've done it again

Roar Rookie
9th October, 2013
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Chairman of selectors John Inverarity. Photo: AFP/William West
Roar Rookie
9th October, 2013
36
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I like McCain and their food, mostly for their old ads, and their catchphrase, “Ah McCain, you’ve done it again”.

As a naive eight-year-old, I took a liking and haven’t let go.

Now as a 17-year-old cricket lover, the same catchphrase can be applied to James Sutherland and his merry men.

They have truly done it again.

The Big Bash. The money rolling, six smashing juggernaut for CA, is hurting our overall national set up.

There, I said it. Not only is our scheduling messed up because of it, so are Cricket Australia’s priorities and I fear they will dent Australia’s chances of a home Ashes series victory.

Why? The reason is simple. This season, Cricket Australia decided it would be smart to split all three domestic formats into their own little windows.

Good in theory. But so is communism. In extending the Big Bash, this will in turn hurt the Test team.

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This windowed form was brought in because of last year’s scheduling disaster, when Usman Khawaja and other budding candidates for the Test line-up were left with batting for 10 overs max, swinging out of their proverbial instead of patiently grinding their way to runs.

That’s good preparation for the Melbourne and Sydney Tests. But Usman and co were the lucky ones.

Pigeon-holed long form players such as Ed Cowan and Jackson Bird either had to hit the nets, or play grade cricket.

That too, is just magnificent preparation.

Some players were going weeks without facing a red ball.

The same predicament faced by our nation’s best caused by Cricket Australia is the coming weeks. We play seven needless ODIs against India on Bunsen burners in preparation for an Ashes series, as happened in 2010.

Perfect.

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I’m sure George Bailey will be licking his lips, facing the prospect of facing Jadeja, Ashwin, Chawla and Yuvaj all at once, then a week later possibly batting at number six at the first Test at the Gabba facing some of the tallest bowlers in England, such as Broad, Finn, Tremlett and Rankin.

Perfect.

Bailey himself said after Sunday’s Ryobi Cup loss to Victoria, that “it’s (the Ryobi Cup) a quick fix to try to get us playing better cricket I’m not sure. Your one-day side is going to be away for two-thirds of the competition anyway”.

Bailey went on to say he preferred last year’s format, and those of years gone, where everything was spread out, and your three forms were ranked in importance- Shield cricket, One-day, T20.

Now we have got a horrible imbalance.

Cameron White, Bailey’s Victorian counterpart, slammed the format as well. “I’m not sure about the whole Sydney thing and the whole set-up itself”.

White is referring to playing every game in Sydney, on suburban ground and slow and low wickets, not conductive to run scoring or wicket taking, in front of the die hards, and only six matches to be played, down from 10 last year, and 12 the year before.

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All in all, if Cricket Australia wanted the best for our number one forte, the Test team, they wouldn’t extended the Big Bash and monotonies Shield cricket for money.

If Cricket Australia wanted the best for our Test team, they wouldn’t send a team to India preluding the Ashes at all.

They’d have our 14 best cricketers facing a red ball in the nets, but no, they went for the BCCI’s money.

And if Cricket Australia want to have a look at themselves and open their eyes, I’d encourage that too.

Cricket Australia, you’ve done it again.

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