No one has been more devastated over the death of Phil Hughes more than Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke. The first Test has already been postponed.
You could tell how much the 25-year-old’s shock death on Thursday affected the Test captain, through the heartbreaking speeches he delivered not only when it was announced last week, but also on Saturday morning, when he was still able to compose himself given the circumstances.
What we learnt from the last four days is that Michael Clarke, through the good times and the bad, has learnt how to handle things very well, from last year’s Ashes whitewash to the homework controversy of 2013.
Undoubtedly, Phil Hughes’ death was the toughest moment not only of his cricket career, but also his life. It’s something that he will have to live with for the rest of his years, having lost a close friend in the most tragic of circumstances.
Hughes would have turned 26 yesterday, but instead the cricket world continues to mourn his death, such that the first Test between Australia and India at the Gabba has been postponed while his funeral is held in his hometown of Macksville on Wednesday.
The service will also be televised on Channel Nine nationwide and the big screens at the SCG and Adelaide Oval will also simulcast the service. It will be the last chance for Australian sporting fans to pay their final respects to the talented batsman.
It makes sense to at least postpone the opening Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy as the Australian players would not have the strength and energy to even play any cricket given what has happened over the last four days.
That said, the future of the Gabba Test, which has always traditionally opened the Australian summer of cricket, remains in the air. It could be shortened by a day, rescheduled to a later date or even abandoned altogether.
It was suggested on Channel Nine’s news bulletin in Sydney that the Adelaide Oval Test could assume the mantle as being the first Test of the summer, given the players would still be in a huge state of shock even after Phil Hughes’ funeral is held on Wednesday.
It would be too soon for them to resume playing cricket after farewelling Hughes, if the Gabba Test were to still go ahead this week.
We now know that this Test will not start on Thursday as originally scheduled, but if it does, then the Adelaide Test would also have to be delayed to allow the three-day rest and recovery period between the first and second Tests to remain.
The second Test is scheduled for December 12-16, with the traditional Boxing Day Test being the next match in the four-Test series. There is a huge gap between the Adelaide and Boxing Day Tests (nine days for rest, recovery and training for the next Test), thus leaving the door open to any rescheduling if it must occur.
Therefore, taking into account the events of the last few days, this would be my revised Test schedule:
First Test
December 8-12, the Gabba
Second Test
December 16-20, Adelaide Oval
Third Test
As scheduled (26-30 December), Melbourne Cricket Ground
Fourth Test
As scheduled (2-6 January 2015), Sydney Cricket Ground
Under this proposal, four days have been provided between Hughes’ funeral and the first day of the Gabba Test, allowing for the players to move on and set their focus to playing cricket again.
Four full days have been provided for rest between the second and third Tests, allowing the players to travel to Melbourne and train for the Boxing Day Test, which starts on December 26.
That Test, the New Year’s Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground and the triangular one-day series between Australia, India and England will then run as scheduled. That way, the Gabba won’t lose its first Test and the fans in Brisbane who had already bought their tickets won’t miss out.
What do you think of this proposal? Please leave your thoughts below.
For anyone who missed Clarke’s speech, here it is.
Liz Meldrum
Guest
Soldiers keep fighting after one of their team has been killed,likewise policemen and,firefighters.People in all walks of life have to go back to work soon after the death of a colleague or family member. I don't see why cricketers should be treated so differently to anyone else. The cricket supporters of Sydney have been treated very badly. Members of my family included.My son and daughter between them were only able to attend the last day of the test due to work and holiday plans. A relative from NZ missed seeing any of the games. My family members are members of The Sydney Cricket Ground and look forward to being there for most days of the New Year Test.
HL
Guest
It may seem a lame question but could we revisit the current head protecting gear that is being used in the Cricket game and possibly look at stretching the area that it covers which could avoid another death down the track…I am not pretending to be a pro of the game but the death of this young man should not go in vain…
Pope Paul VII
Guest
sounds good
Maggie
Guest
And that includes South Australian players who are due to play in Tasmania and NSW players who are due to play on the SCG. I think it is likely that if schedules/grounds can accomodate the changes, the matches will be pushed back a day and the NSW match will be transferred to another ground in Sydney.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I was talking about the Sheffield Shield round supposedly to start on 5/12/14 - Many players knew Hughes well and would likely want to attend. They would have less than 2 days to get to their matches after the funeral.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The round of shield matches is due to start on 5/12/14. I've heard they are thinking of putting it back a day or 2 but you would think they would need to get that sorted asap.
Silver Sovereign
Roar Rookie
yes lets get on with it. Now it seems they want Adelaide as the first game. Now that's a shield round, warm up game and first test all cancelled or postponed
Homer
Guest
Any which way the schedule is rejigged, we are talking of atleast 3 if not all 4 tests, back to back . Add in travel, and the players will be flogged non stop. Then you have the tri series and the World Cup. i would much rather they cancel Gabba altogether and stick to the original schedule. This not only gives the Australians enough time before Adelaide, but also spaces the tests so that neither team suffers due to exhaustion and fatigue. In the mean time, even if the Shield games are cancelled, the Indians should get atleast a couple of 3 days games before the Dec 12 start. Cheers,
mds1970
Roar Guru
I'm hearing that Sunday 11th to Thursday 15th January is looking likely. But the problems are there's an ODI scheduled for Melbourne on Friday 16th and a Big Bash game at the Gabba on Sunday 11th that would need to be rescheduled.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Agree with all your points except 2 - I don't think playing a 4th test is going to make a difference in terms of whether or not someone gets injured. I'd much rather see a 4th test and scrub the ODI series down to 3 games instead of 5, but I imagine with the World Cup coming up India probably would prefer as much ODI cricket in these conditions as they can get. Let's wait and see what happens. My money is on a postponement of Gabba test till January.
Shortfineleg
Guest
Just cancel the test, already. Make a decision. A couple of considerations: 1. It is an already packed schedule - already had UAE tests and SA 5 match ODI series. Now tests, 3 team ODI series, WC 2015. 2. What if (G-d forbid) someone is injured if their concentration is off in the midst of the greater jammed playing schedule? 3. As Jo M has pointed out having a test series starting in SA and finishing in NSW is poignant given Hughes journey. 4. Players aren't machines. 5. We all love tests, but there isn't an 11th commandment about playing a 4 test series. 3 is enough in the circumstances. Be flexible, be human. 6. Indians are really underdone to start a test without a tour match before.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Postponing the Gabba test until after Sydney would make sense. Seems the most logical solution.
Avatar
Roar Guru
Without a doubt. But as you said, these are exceptional circumstances. Since this article went to press I watched the news this morning and from what I heard the Gabba Test could be abandoned altogether, or even scheduled for the new year after the Sydney Test. The latter is achievable, placing it in between the Sydney test and then the opening match of the one-day series, the appropriate dates being between January 9-13, would be logical. That leaves two days of rest between the Sydney and Brisbane Tests, then the Brisbane Test and the opening match of the ODI series. Also expect to hear from Cricket Australia about what will happen to the first Test today.
mds1970
Roar Guru
Any rescheduling is going to be a logistical nightmare. There's no avoiding that. Seats will need to be re-allocated and refunds paid. And many fans will be considerably out of pocket - people who have booked annual leave from work and paid for non-refundable flights and accommodation. Even with a refund of the ticket price, they've blown hundreds/thousands of dollars and there's no way to compensate for that. To reschedule the Brisbane Test to keep it as the first in the series will have a knock-on effect to the Adelaide Test, so you'd have to go through that nightmare twice. And to play a Monday-Friday Test with no weekend play would also affect the TV rights. The only way I can think of that would reduce the financial hit, although there will still be the need to pay some refunds; would be to keep the Adelaide Test as is and play Brisbane from Friday 19th to Tuesday 23rd December. That would isolate the financial hit and logistical nightmare to Brisbane without affecting Adelaide. It would mean only two days off between those Tests, and another two days off before Boxing Day; so the normal three days off rule would need to be suspended. But these are exceptional circumstances.