When commercialisation is talked about in cricket, people tend to turn their minds to the T20 game, and how more money involved in various leagues, particularly the IPL, is corrupting players’ skills as well as their loyalties.
Cricket’s migration to a more business-like domestic format has meant that even in the longer forms of the game we are seeing players constantly move between states and counties.
Many traditionalist still frown on this. In England, Yorkshire’s recent success in the County Championship garnered extra admiration due to many of their players being locally bred talents.
In Australia it’s no different, nor has it ever been. When Adam Gilchrist moved to Western Australia from New South Wales because there he was only a back up to Phil Emery, he was initially jeered by many of the home fans.
Of course, the more runs Gilchrist scored for Western Australia the less repugnant the sight of him at the crease became. Nowadays Gilchrist is a hero in Western Australia, yet while many reflect on repercussions Gilchrist’s move had for New South Wales and the benefits it had for Western Australia, few look at the benefits it had for Australia in general.
Gilchrist made his ODI debut for Australia in 1996, just a couple of years after his move. Had he stayed in New South Wales he might have still been battling for his place in the domestic circuit.
The rest is history – Gilchrist redefined wicketkeeping and made a huge contribution to one of Australia’s finest cricketing generations.
It is a similar story with Ed Cowan. Like Gilchrist, Cowan was unable to break into a highly competitive New South Wales side. But instead of moving west, Cowan opted to go south and join Tasmania.
While Gilchrist’s first season at his new state harvested mixed results, Cowan immediately justified Tasmania’s faith with 957 at 53.16 in his first season. Cowan’s runs for his adopted state earned him a spot in the national side, although his results for Australia were mixed. However his average of 31.28 over 32 innings in the Test side certainly looks better when you consider Cowan made his runs in a tough time for Australian cricket against strong opposition from India, England and South Africa.
Cowan is probably playing better now than he ever has – some even suggested he should’ve been drafted for Australia’s Ashes tour due to his ability to play the moving ball. As a result of his form, Cowan has also made the decision to return to NSW, where a starting spot is now guaranteed.
Regardless of how one views Cowan’s career, whether he deserved a spot in the Test side when he was selected and whether he does now, his move to Tasmania enhanced his career substantially. In turn it ensured Australia had another quality batsman scoring runs at state level and therefore enhancing the quality of the domestic system, as well as the national team’s depth.
Michael Klinger, perhaps Australia’s best current player to never play an international match, also ensured his talents were put to full use when he moved states – twice in fact.
Commercialisation in cricket may result in some fans feeling there is little loyalty in the game anymore, that representing a state side only means you’re wearing a certain coloured shirt.
But it is also important to acknowledge the positive influence it can have on individual players, and the quality of cricket nationwide as a result.
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