Cricket enjoys a status among most Australians that makes it the envy of other sports, especially the football codes.
In many South American and European countries football, or “the beautiful game”, might be the only team sport that people talk about.
But in Australia, especially during summer, cricket is still king.
On ABC Radio National the other day, one caller said he was calling from Balfes Creek in Queensland, near Charters Towers (I know it was at least in Queensland).
The caller was the driver of a group attending a wedding and he had gotten them lost, losing about six hours. But at least they had the cricket to listen to!
You get these calls all the time on ABC Radio during cricket broadcasts, from all over Australia. Not necessarily from people getting lost, but calling from remote parts of the country.
One day when I was listening, the Australian Antarctic research station called in to say how much they were enjoying the transmission of the Test.
It must be deeply reassuring for Cricket Australia that the national game can still penetrate the consciousness of average Australians everywhere so deeply.
Despite our growing sophistication and diversification as sporting connoisseurs, if you were to travel around the country about 10 years ago and pull into some remote pub, one of the few fellow patrons might ask you, “what do you think of the footy?”
You might nervously reply, “Which footy do you mean?”
Today when you travel around the country and pull into a remote pub and one of the few patrons there asks you, “what do you think of the footy?”, you might have more confidence to reply – “which footy would you like to talk about?”
But there’s no such hesitation with the cricket.
Whether you come from Darwin or Hobart, Geraldton or Ballina, Cape York or Port Lincoln, Charleville or Kalgoorlie, you just get right into the nitty-gritty.
In my 45 years of following cricket, I began listening to Radio Australia broadcasts in Papua New Guinea when my family was living there.
But it was different during the winter months. On any particular Saturday, the national broadcaster might feel necessary to switch between a VFL or NSWRL match of the day, and maybe again, and perhaps a rugby international as well.
No such problems during the summer. You had the Test match, plus updates from Sheffield Shield games.
But whatever variation it was, it was cricket only.
I’ve listened to the cricket on the radio in PNG and many country towns, from Cairns in far north Queensland right down to Portland in far south Victoria and deep into western New South Wales past Wagga Wagga.
In 2010/11, I even followed the Ashes while enjoying Xmas-New Year in Dubai, although Australia was getting thrashed back then.
I even rowed surf boats for a number seasons in the late-’70s and early-’80s and you couldn’t walk along a metropolitan or country beach, in New South Wales or interstate, without hearing a radio blaring from almost every tent or umbrella, tuned in to the cricket.
Now that football (soccer) has switched from winter to summer, cricket is being faced with competition it isn’t used to and is decidedly uncomfortable about.
If competition is a good thing, then hopefully it will bring the best out of both sports.
Cricket is changing, and there is a wide range of opinion whether the changes are better or worse for Australian cricket.
The Big Bash League, based on the hurly-burly, hit and giggle, over in three hours version of Twenty20 cricket, has yet to embrace the majority of the public on an ongoing basis.
Do the farmers working the soil for their next planting in Central Australia – or the fishermen in their boats at the top and bottom of the country – listen to the BBL with the same affection and enthusiasm as they do the Tests?
It’s reassuring reading the history books, to see photos and read stories that tie in cricket and people and the land, such as Thomas E. Spencer’s How McDougall Topped the Score.
What the future holds, and cricket’s place in it, is a little unsettling at this point in time.
But right now, we can rejoice in cricket’s place in the hearts and minds of Australia right across the country as soon as the cicadas start their annual humming.
Geoff Parkes
Expert
Hi Sheek I really hope Cricket Australia is actually reassured by the reaction to the test series and not willing it aside to get the Big Bash back on. Unless something remarkable is about to happen today, this series has been disappointingly non-competitive, but even so, still far and away ahead of all other forms of cricket. Long may it continue. Very best wishes to you and your family mate for a happy Xmas and a warm, breezy summer contemplating whether this new, improved Wallabies side can challenge the AB's next year or not... Cheers
Don Corleone
Guest
All cattle when I lived there, Simoc.
Brendon the 1st
Guest
My "football" club is the Port Adelaide football club sheek, the name is unchanged since 1894, much longer than any of the A league clubs. Soccer is football in the rest of the work but not here, lets keep it that way. Good article though mate, its great at work, we cant watch or listen to the cricket but every tradie that comes through the door gives us a score update and that's how we keep updated on the thrashing of the unwashed. Test cricket is alive and well, the crowds were good in the away tour of India who often prioritise the short form of the game. Soccer will get bigger here, but cricket is also getting bigger and I'm pleasantly surprised at the popularity of the long form of the game in the past few years. I also think that soccer may struggle to gain popularity with the public en masse due to off field issues, violence, corruption, racial divides etc fortunately cricket only has one of these to deal with in corruption, and lets hope they can sort that out.
Don Corleone
Guest
"Not looking great in the long-term?" You soccer people aren't too go at irony and sarcasm, are you?
Don Corleone
Guest
Sheek, The average BBL attendance dropped to 14k from 17k the previous year. This was probably due to 2 main factors: the early December start outside of the usual BBL window saw reduced crowds and seating capacity at Adelaide was reduced. BBL constituted 20% of the recent TV rights deal when the Ten Network purchased the rights for $100m. Network Ten's advertising share has increased as advertisers show interest in anticipation of the BBL... http://www.theaustralian.com.au/media/networks-hail-summer-ads-lift/story-e6frg996-1226784441912 Cricket Australia will make a profit out of BBL and will continue the investment into it. As far as sponsors go, 6 out of the 8 teams have major sponsors...so the sponsorship interest has increased. http://www.afr.com/p/lifestyle/sport/cricket_australia_doubles_big_bash_Q4sr7BGOGTWqMiwO8BcqBO The BBL's average TV audience last season was 232,864, the all-conquering A-League averaged around 81,000. The audience for BBL on free-to-air TV is expected to double, or even triple. The facts are there for all to see...but I suppose some people will be clutching at straws like they have the last couple years.
Don Corleone
Guest
The A-League might continue to exist as a novelty (much like it is now).
Don Corleone
Guest
Sheek, Even last year's test series against Sri Lanka, not a fan favourite by any stretch, regularly attracted TV ratings in excess of 1m for the final session and decent crowds. Like many, I think you're under-estimating the large, loyal support for cricket in this country.
Paulo
Guest
It would be more appropriate to compare Ashes with the FIFA World Cup, both events do tend to attract the casual supporter. I doubt Melbourne Victory v Perth Glory would have appealed to many who didn't support these clubs. Many people I know follow both football and cricket. It makes sense as both are English games that went global. It has also been evident that people do attend cricket during the day and HAL matches during the evening. A number of Barmy Army on Tour shirts were visible at the Brisbane-WSW match last month - I wonder what they made of the fan banter on offer. Non-Ashes years could be leaner, especially with the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, a player much admired by all. I've felt though that the biggest threat to cricket comes from AFL. I'm sure AFL House would not be pleased about being denied access to many of its venues while the NRL is getting a head start along with Super Rugby. AFL domination the press cycle over summer would not, as many experts predicted, harm football as many football fans do not use traditional media, MSM having ignored their beloved game for decades. Cricket, however, has always enjoyed good coverage in the media and would be more vulnerable. Staving off the challenge, however, is not impossible. Here's to summer and its wonderful variety of sport, that dare I say it rivals the winter time.
Glenn Innes
Guest
Bondy - A handful of "colonial outposts" it is the national sport of India which will soon overtake Chima as the planets most populous nation as well Pakistan with about 150 million.Other than soccer no other team sport would have the numbers cricket has. Look at the tv ratings - do they scream dying sport only watched by gerriatric anglo - saxons?-Also remember there has been a great deal of migration to Australia from the subcontinent in recent years - the non white players are coming don't worry about that! Cricket is mainstream and the real ace in it's pack is it is genuinely national. Football is mainstream as a game to play but as a spectator sport it is still boutique and there are no signs of that changing if you look at the TV numbers.
Simoc
Guest
You're out of touch Don. They are growing broadacre onions near Alice Springs at the moment. Mind you it is an experiment.
Mike
Roar Guru
Not looking great in the long-term? I would apply the same to T20 cricket. The BBL attendances fell sharply last season. Will be interesting to see what happens this season. If you're going to conduct a long-term study, you'll need to analyse the future generations and try to ascertain what they'll be demanding. In this day and age, with globalisation uniting the world's culture, the next generation will be demanding the world game. Not sure where you got your figure about the A-League attendances dropping. The attendances have only ever dropped once, in the 2008-09 season. Apart from that, they have only ever risen, and will continue to do so. Expansion of the A-League is a guaranteed reality. Also check out the NPL and FFA Cup. I can't see football going under. Not ever. ;)
TheBeautifulGame
Roar Pro
"The BBL will finish-off the A-League. There just isn’t a critical mass of support in Australia for soccer…it’s plateaued and it’s all down from here" WOW, huge call there. So you're saying that the A-League will cease to exist at the end of the current season due to the BBL? If that happens I will give every the roar member $5million. Talk about being delusional......
sheek
Roar Guru
Don, The Ashes is fine, but we can't judge test cricket's overall health by every Ashes series. Unfortunately.
Ash
Guest
Sunday TV Ratings Metro + Regional Session 3 : 2.60m Session 2 : 2.37m Session 1 : 2.05m Note : A-league rated 53k while NBL got 29k. A-league was on pay tv ofcourse. but it rated 71k on FTA TV (SBS 2) on Friday
Don Corleone
Guest
Sorry for being picky, Sheek. When I lived up there, 'Central Australia' pretty much consisted of Alice, Tennant Creek and Coober Pedy.
jeznez
Roar Guru
I caught one of the Sydney teams last year the pink guys not the green ones. They played a grade cricket selection at Drummoyne oval. As something to do after work and have a social event it had appeal but I certainly wasn't taken in by the spectacle.
sheek
Roar Guru
Jez, Others are more up to date with the figures. But in 2011/12, BBL attracted huge prime-time ratings plus gate figures. Plus sponsors wanting to be part of the action. These figures all receded in 2012/13. It will be interesting to see if BBL is a passing fad & to what extent. I think Don Corleone might be the man for this.
Ash
Guest
+1
Ash
Guest
Johan LOL if the big bash will be canned soon, what hope is there for the A-league ?? it has lower crowds & tv ratings are 3-4 times lesser than the BBL :D
Johnno
Guest
Bangladesh are too poor, and too bad weather to ever maintain there test status. Maybe Zimbabwe as they'll always get some BCCI handouts.