The Cricket World Cup is finally returning to Australian soil – well Australian and New Zealand soil – and it’s the perfect opportunity for Cricket Australia to take a stand.
It’s time for Cricket Australia to stand up for the smaller cricketing nations of the world. It’s time for them to stop thinking about the health of their bank account and start thinking about the health of the sport of cricket.
Just over a year ago the ICC entered a new era. The three financial superpowers of world cricket – India, Australia and England – formed an alliance that effectively gave them complete control of the sport. After much lobbying from the ‘small seven’, the seven other Test playing nations, the initial proposals were watered down, but the power of the ‘Big Three’ remains.
The official line from Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board was that such measures were necessary to keep India under control. By forming a triumvirate, England and Australia had the power to veto India at any moment. However, from the outside looking in, it appeared to be nothing of the sort. The fact that ICC revenue will now be distributed unevenly, with the Big Three taking a larger slice of the pie, suggests that England and Australia are simply chasing the dollar, or the pound.
One of the main proposals that was immediately shot down by the ‘small seven’ was the creation of a two-tiered Test system and, as a result, the dumping of the Future Tours Program. Despite the desires of the Big Three to abandon the Future Tours Program it remains in place until at least the 2019 Cricket World Cup.
The Future Tours Program aims to ensure that every cricketing nation plays every other cricketing nation at least twice during a four-year period, both home and away. The major nations have been notoriously bad at fulfilling the requirements of the Future Tours Program.
Australia can’t even fulfill the requirements of the program against their closest neighbours, New Zealand. The Black Caps travelled to Australia in November and December of 2011 and will return this November for another Test Series. In between multiple Ashes and Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, Australia was unable to squeeze in a Test series in New Zealand. There are simply no excuses for this; Cricket Australia can certainly not blame travel.
Thankfully during the next four-year block there are two Test series against New Zealand planned, a three-Test series in Australia this November and another three-Test series in New Zealand next February. There are also separate limited overs series planned for 2017 and 2019.
As always, Australia’s imbalanced Test schedule comes down to money. We play five-Test series against England because they are our biggest moneymakers. We play two-Test series against Bangladesh because Cricket Australia makes no money playing large multi-Test series against them. We play Bangladesh and Pakistan and Sri Lanka because we have to; we play India and England because we want to.
This is where it’s time to return to my starting point – Cricket Australia should want to play the smaller nations because it is good for the game of cricket.
For cricket to survive in places like the West Indies they need to be playing the best teams in the world on a regular occasion. Playing Australia in the Caribbean is not only good financially for the West Indies, it gives young West Indies fans a chance to witness some of the best in the world and it gives the players the opportunity to measure themselves against a high-calibre opposition.
The West Indies have the ability to one day reclaim their title of best cricketing nation in the world, they just need some help. The Big Three taking money away from them is not help.
Cricket Australia needs to look at world cricket with a long-term view. The West Indies are currently a basket case. There is significant infighting between players and administrators and they don’t draw very big crowds here in Australia because fans are expecting blowouts.
If, or when, the West Indies grow into a powerhouse of world cricket, every Test series will be highly anticipated and will be a boon financially for Cricket Australia. Instead of waiting for the West Indies to get to this point, Cricket Australia, and the ECB and BCCI, should help them get there.
Speaking of helping smaller nations out, Cricket Australia should stand up for the minnows that are about to be locked out of future Cricket World Cups. The plan for the 2019 World Cup is to move from the current 14-team structure to a 10-team competition. How can a sport label its showpiece event a World Cup when only 10 nations are allowed in? It’s basically a glorified version of the Champions Trophy.
I’m not calling for a repeat of the 2007 monstrosity that went for seven weeks, but 16 teams would be nice. Instead of adopting a Super 8 format, a simple round of quarter-finals, followed by semis and a final, would be good.
The World Cup is the one chance for the sport’s minnows to shine on the world stage. Obviously they aren’t going to win the entire competition, but they deserve to be there.
Without the lure of a World Cup there is no incentive for minnows like Ireland to invest in the sport of cricket. There is no incentive for players to continue playing the sport at a semi-professional level. There is even the chance that those who are good enough will simply switch allegiances, just like England captain Eoin Morgan has done.
It is up to Cricket Australia, as a result of their position in the Big Three, to step up and explain why we need these countries in the World Cup. Again, this requires a long-term view.
Holding a long-term view isn’t purely about predicting the growth of cricket, it is also about foreboding cricket’s downfall.
The sport of soccer is growing at quite a rate in India; it is not hard to imagine a world in which India isn’t cricket obsessed like it is now and soccer has become the number one sport. Without investment to grow the game outside of India and traditional cricket playing nations, the decline of India would be disastrous for the sport.
Cricket can’t rest on its laurels in an increasingly cluttered sporting world. Cricket needs to grow the game and expand into new markets. That is why it is so important to include minnows in the Cricket World Cup and Australia needs to lead this charge.
Twitter: @fromthesheds
13th Man
Guest
Yeah a couple of kiwi bbl teams makes sense I reckon
Johnno
Guest
Test cricket expansion is as good as gone Cadffel, the short games is what you should be focusing on to develop players, Test cricket is like horse polo it's an expensive sport to get good at. You need a 1st class comp, that runs at a loss like the sheffield shield, places like Ireland or Afghanistan don't have that sort of money.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
The comments that money is behind this is pretty right. Particularly with the BCCI. No one wants to upset them. With the big three making the decisions, why don't we have DRS in all internationals, after all the big three would vote 2-1 for it so why don't we have it. That the other two don't want to upset the apple cart is obvious. However, it is not all the ICC or BCCI's fault. Over thirty years ago Kerry packer sewed up cricket in Australia. The last test of summer here was and is the New Year's test. The rest of January is taken up with ODIs so no chance of any tests for the smaller cricketing nations in peak time. If they are lucky they will get tests in September, right in the middle of rugby league and AFL playoffs so who will care about these tests. As well look at where the tests are played. Townsville and Darwin to name two. Where's the respect for fellow test playing nations. Like others they want to play on the SCG, MCG, the 'Gabba hereditary test venues. As well, we look like not playing as many test series against SA unless it is early in the season. Correctly, they jacked up about having to spend Christmas away all the time while Australia stayed home. Maybe it's time to pull the pin on Nine for the ODI series each January. Play some T20 games with the tourists and have the lesser lights play tests even if it is against an Australia A outfit. Then again I also believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny.
rishabhm
Roar Rookie
In the end, all the adherence to centricity is just the need to run after money.
jamesb
Guest
Great article Cameron. The one team I always look for on YouTube for past cricketing clips is the West Indies. I do miss them.
SP
Guest
NZ teams already play in the NRL, A-league, Netball and Basketball comps so why not in cricket? It would help them more than us but would be good for the game overall. It wouldn't difficult to add a couple of NZ sides to the domestic one day comp.
Rocco75
Guest
Johnno I agree with you. Well written. the ICC have washed their hands of the associate nations.
Rocco75
Guest
Don't forget that the West Indies are not a country - they are a conglomerate of small countries. Maybe they should disband and play under their own countries banner eg. Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua, Guyana, Jamaica etc.....
Spruce, a bit a clarity of thought is necessary. Firstly, the ICC is run by AUs, Eng and India, the rest had no say. NZRU and ARU has been vetoing South Africa for yonks, SUper rugby is lying in balance because of the one eyed objective in their search for money. South Africa is not the one wanting to move into Asian Markets, you can lie that squarely on the shoulders of ARU. The only thing you can accuse SARU of is their ridiculous need for a sixth team.
Freycinet1803
Roar Rookie
My bad ... good to see Nine didn't find it worthy to put it on their main network. Considering cricket is probably the most popular sport across the whole country.
spruce moose
Guest
I'm dreaming? You are kidding right? Considering that the whole super tournament is hanging on by the threads of South African TV ratings and money. South Africa pulls out, and then the whole tournament falls over. South Africa wants a sixth team, then South Africa gets a sixth team without question (or merit).
You're dreaming if you believe the NZRU bows to SARU.
Lazza
Guest
All you need is a few amateurs playing in a Pub league to be a Cricket nation it seems. We have a far more advanced Baseball league in this country but does anyone seriously think it will ever become a major sport here?
Winston
Guest
spruce, I agree entirely with you. The more I think about it the more we can't blame the CA or any of the other boards. I see lot of opinions above saying they are killing cricket. How can that be? That would only be true if we're saying the shareholders of CA actually take profits, or we're saying corruption within CA means the senior officials there effectively steal the money. I'll leave these conspiracy theories to the relevant authorities to deal with, but if we ignore that for a second, what else is CA doing other than to do cricket? Money is not limitless. If they spend more overseas we complain about lack of funding for grassroots Australia. If the put more into grassroots by reducing professional pay we complain about young men choosing other sports over cricket and therefore losing talent. If they increase CA contracts pay we complain about the Australian team being overpaid princesses. Exactly how is CA, or any cricket of the world, supposed to spend their limited resources? I do feel for them. They can never win.
Snickometero
Guest
"Greece for instance.It has a thriving cricket community" Do you seriously believe that? C'mon.
Winston
Guest
I'm not sure if we actually agree. What I'm saying is that money IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING to ensure long term sustainability of the game. But given money is not limitless and that CEOs are only around for a few years, strategically it would be easier to just spend it one way rather than another.
spruce moose
Guest
Actually on second thought, I don't agree with the article much. It excuses the consumer which ultimately is responsible for this schemozzle. "As always, Australia’s imbalanced Test schedule comes down to money." Nope, thats only half true. The consumer is so outrageously Ashes centric. Read these forums. Most people only ever care about the precious Ashes series and how Australia should be 'blooding players for the Ashes' or 'resting michael clarke from the world cup for the Ashes'. Breaking this Ashes centricity would be almost impossible. Could you imagine the backlash from the fans if Australia played a 3 test series against England as justification for a 3 test series against Bangladesh? I personally would applaud that, doubt half of you will though. Even the ICC make decisions based on the vagaries of the consumer. Look at ODI cricket. People bemoaned it was boring, the middle overs just meandered along etc. So the ICC brought in sweeping rule changes to placate the masses not to mention approved the creation of an entire new game that is hit-a'six with no middle period. Yet the consumers are still displeased. You either accept ODI cricket will have it's quiet patches or you go away and satisfy yourself with T20. So CA locked itself in with the big three because the consumer in Australia wanted to see more of England and India. They have given you what you want, (coincidentally in back to back seasons) and now you are displeased. When Australia do try to host a 3 test series against other countries - barely anyone turns up because "its only a warm up for the Ashes" or "only the Ashes matter anyway". We were given 5 ODI's against South Africa in November and barely anyone turns up. We have a three test series against Sri Lanka - including a test at the MCG. Barely anyone turned up. What else can CA do if the fans won't bother coming? CA posted some record crowds in the last Ashes series when that was essentially as brutal an execution of an opponent this side of Saudi Arabia. Australia played South Africa 2 years ago in a thrilling 3 test contest and couldn't fill the stadium on one day. And yet CA are criticised for bedding with ECB and BCCI? Perhaps if the Australian consumer actually cared more about the game than simply England and India matches, CA may have been compelled to stand against the tide. But they only reflected what the people really wanted at the end of the day. I actually feel for CA here, it's very hard for them to look good.
Brian
Guest
Its a matter of equalisation measures both on and off field. The ICC need to create a faier playing field. If Bravo, Narine & Ajmal were from the big 3 do you think they would be missing this World Cup.
Brian
Guest
CA should be smart enough to realise that a future Cricket fan in NZ is likely to watch future Cricket played in Australia. The FFA have a team in NZ and similarly the MLB in the States helps fund the baseball here. Cricket is comparatively less popular in nearly every country then it was 20 years ago. In the early 90s Pakistan and West Indies had the best sides in the world. Cricket not big in SA either so what after De Villiers & Steyn. India, Australia and England playing between themselves in perpetuity?
Rocco75
Guest
Craig, the way the BCCI, CA & EWCB are going, they will make sure there are only 10 cricket playing nations in 100 years time. if it continues (which unfortunately I think it will) then the game will be worse for it.