The Big Bash League has again been corrupted by meaningless hit-and-giggle. How much longer can the sanctity of domestic T20 cricket be ravaged by the international game?
Questions must be asked after the competition was burgled blind of some its finest drawcards this week under the flimsy guise of national duty.
With a host of household names and Billy Stanlake uprooted, a delicious season in its prime stages has been rendered a dilapidated farrago of old blokes, Test specialists and spotty cult heroes.
And all for what? The hollow responsibility of fielding a team for Australia – or in Steve O’Keefe’s case, for nets and chill.
How can the 20-over game – one of such rich tradition in this country – be continually treated with such disdain?
Withdrawing box-office talent for the purpose of pimping-out a national side not only undermines the league’s credibility, it hinders form lines for gambling purposes.
Such disrespect is a slap in the face for the league’s months and months of revered history. It is also a blatant flipping of the bird towards cricket’s libertarian movements of free agency and the West Indies model.
However, despite many choosing to point fingers at greedy administrators and their scheduling, the players themselves are not blameless.
Judging by their selfish abandonment of club duties for the self-indulgence of national service, it seems the lure of representing one’s country may have unfortunately eclipsed the prestige of the franchise snapback.
With this power shift occurring, it is difficult to say where the Big Bash League will find itself in future.
Based on this week’s events, it seems destined to be devalued to a glorified trial for Australian Test selection.
Unfortunately for traditionalists, the lure of international cricket seems to be growing ever stronger.
It is inevitable that it will continue to flex its muscles over T20 cricket in the same manner it has this week – as if it has the weight of history on its side.
This is no more apparent than here in Australia, where a deep cultural hold and exorbitant riches are proving an unwanted distraction for youngsters who should be concentrating on the game’s traditional fundamentals, such as range hitting, slow bouncers and all-round general hot-dogging.
Call me old fashioned, but the longer forms are holding the game back.
Tanmoy Kar
Guest
Not interested in BBL and IPL as well, as these are pyjama cricket.
Ken (Sava) Lloyd
Guest
3 hours is long enough to watch any game of cricket,and BBL is satifying the Aussie cricket fans. The having to hit every ball,the boundries being hit,the exiting fielding,Test and One day cricket Tattaa. And the attendance by the young cricket fans to the BBL is proof of where Cricket will be in the near future. Sava
Stanley Campbell
Roar Rookie
i think for the players to earn the most they can is just have come to agreement with Cricket Australia to to put th BBL at the end of the season and give the players to rest of play BBL and IPL that is like 2 months of cricket where the players can play T20 cricket or rest.
Peter Z
Guest
Why bother, indeed. But I'm not exactly sure what you mean by 'limited over bowling?' If you mean learning how to bowl yorkers and slower balls, aren't you still gonna use that in T20? It is, of course, limited over cricket too.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Coming from a man named Bill? You give me one Bill who's a good looking bloke? Bill Clinton- Nope.... Bill Lawry- Nose... sorry nope.....
Peter Z
Guest
Yep! From 2 for not many, and with no time to consolidate, Tassie chased down a record score. That fallacy is put to bed, I venture.
Felix
Guest
Because he has a buldging disc and his shoulder is being held on by a soup of cortisone + painkillers, wrapped up with sticky tape.
Dane Eldridge
Expert
Bill, the photo on my profile is of my rough side. If you are referring to my face, that is.
Swampy
Guest
Umm, last night's game (hurricanes vs renegades) well and truly defeated that argument.
The Bush
Roar Guru
And you see them chase 40 of 18 in ODIs too... why isn't that also boring? Such odd comments
Bakkies
Guest
'T20 has stripped that flaw from its construct and that’s why it’s a better product.' Why bother take up limited overs bowling if 50 over Cricket disappears?
Stanley Campbell
Roar Rookie
I think schedulng is holding back big bash really australia best player do not get to play in it which would draw more revenue and overall cricket australia would be better off
ChrisB
Guest
Yes how dare all those pesky stupid crowds turn up in such great numbers for the BBL. most inconvenient. If only we could go back to the glory days of just the Shield and domestic ODI tournament - both Of which no one gives a crap about
ChrisB
Guest
And less frequency
Midfielder
Guest
Excellent article enjoyed the irony
Bill
Guest
Dane. You are a very ugly man.
Bill
Guest
Plus one.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Dave Warner was a successful One dayer/T20 player
davSA
Guest
Test and first class cricket produces T20 players. T20 does not produce test cricketers.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Can anyone explain what the purpose was of those 2 ODI earlier in the season against New Zealand. Worthless games