Oh, not again. That was my first response on hearing Australia and Bangladesh had postponed another bilateral series, particularly as it would have been the first Test series between the two teams in Australia since 2003.
This feeling was only heightened when I read Daniel Brettig and Mohammad Isam’s article on Cricinfo that spoke of the role that commercial interest was likely to have played in the decision, as the tour was would have been a loss-maker.
For what it’s worth, I still have no sympathy on those grounds. After all, Cricket Australia just announced a record television rights deal. Despite the recent ball-tampering controversy, it can therefore be described to be in a healthy financial position.
From a cricket point of view, it also has its share of downsides.
It allows the Australian Test team no matches before what is likely to be a difficult tour of the UAE, where Michael Clarke’s team was hammered in 2014. They’ve got only those matches and the Sheffield Shield to prepare for what promises to be the strongest Indian team to be on these shores since Sourav Ganguly’s side in 2004.
Even in the absence of a World Test Championship, then, such a decision may well affect Australia, even if CA are confident that it will not. While this decision was made before Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft were banned, it does exacerbate their impact.
Cameron Bancroft of Australia talks to the umpire. (AP Photo/Halden Krog)
And that’s without considering any of the broader interests of the game that would have been served from a Test tour by Bangladesh.
From Cricket Australia’s press release, however, there is another cricket consideration by which they hope to sell this decision.
“Both countries agreed to postponing that tour to be better aligned ahead of the ICC World T20 in 2020 in Australia.”
Such a focus on that event is, to an extent, understandable. Neither team have won the event before. Hosting the event also means that the result won’t be out of sight or out of mind.
Considering Australia’s attitude towards IT20s at certain stages of the sport’s history, the country’s desire to win that event is laudable.
Yet even if you set aside Test cricket from consideration on the basis that there is no World Test Championship and we shouldn’t, there is the small matter of a World Cup in 2019.
From CA’s press release, it appears neither board thought that playing a series in Australia would help in their preparation for that event. Perhaps a surprising attitude, given the homogenous conditions that tend to dominate in both England and Australia for white ball cricket, but in line with CA’s tendency to see the three formats in isolation.
One exception to that is in the broadcast rights deal, where Men’s Tests are on free-to-air and both white ball formats are on pay TV.
Which is why it would be easy to let this go by without comment for the casual fan, to pay only limited attention to the IT20 series when it is played, and why it is imperative that fans do neither of these things.
Max Mayer
Roar Guru
We've talked a lot about rebuilding the culture of our cricket team but maybe it's time the culture of our national board was called. into question. That Cricinfo interview with Sutherland consisted of some of the lamest cop-out excuses I've ever heard, mixed in with a fair amount of thinly-disguised contempt at the idea of having to play a series which might not be profitable. Take this quote: "The way in which everything works in cricket is that it's really at the home team's discretion to work things out as to how much they want to host and what they want to host". Basically, he's telling Bangladesh: "Get stuffed, we can do what we want". Feel sorry for all those in the Top End who are the real losers out of this decision.
JayG
Guest
I think the Bangladesh tour was cancelled much before India refused to play day/night in Adelaide
Johnno
Guest
CA is a BCCI puppet and only answers to money as well and not upsetting India. The T-20/Ashes/India obsessed Cricket Australia. Bangladesh/Zims/West Indies/sri lanka have no interest on there radar let alone say an Ireland.. Even Pakistan is stepping up and playing a test vs Ireland on the British/Irish tour going on now..
Basil (the original)
Guest
Cricket has lost its soul. It's stands only for one thing. If Cricket were a person you wouldn't want to be in it's company.
BrainsTrust
Guest
This is the quote in the paper, "Bangladesh had been slated in the future tours program to come to Australia for two Tests and three one-day internationals in August but that has been shelved reportedly due to concerns by TV networks over competition with the major football codes."
SP
Guest
Whether it is politicians, banks or sporting bodies (particularly RA and CA), time and time again it is reinforced that we are a country run by 2nd-rate people. Donald Horne's lucky country quote has never been more relevant.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
That's speculation, as far as I know. Personally, I hope that is not the case. It is not completely implausible. India's recalcitrance as it relates to not releasing players for overseas leagues has been listed before as a reason for a couple being cancelled (Sri Lanka and South Africa, in particular).
mds1970
Roar Guru
India refuse to play a day-night Test in Adelaide, which is a revenue hit for Cricket Australia. Next minute Cricket Australia cancel the Bangladesh series as unviable. It seems to me that Cricket Australia had been budgeting on the revenue from Adelaide to underwrite the Bangladesh series; and without it they weren't prepared to wear the Bangladesh series loss. Has India's recalcitrance cost Bangladesh a series?
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
It is also now much harder for Australia to justify playing ODIs in the place of Tests in the UAE because they have used that as part of their justification for this decision. My fear is that we'll have another ludicrous situation where pure ageism will determine who is in a Sheffield Shield team, like last year when Ed Cowan was dropped by NSW.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
What is striking is that he is the last figure from 2001 still in the same position of power, and that has been the case ever since the retirement of Brad Haddin. I still think Australia would be heavy favorites in such a series, but now we may never know. Not playing Zimbabwe in Tests is excusable, given that they have demonstrated an indifference to playing Tests, but this is much harder to justify.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Utter contempt shown for the battling bangers. Disgraceful.
Daniel
Guest
Sutherland needs to be sacked, plain and simple! His rationale for cancelling this series is ridiciulous and he embodies the Australian arrogance in the cricket world that the rest despise. A two test series against Bangladesh is long overdue and they will fancy themselves for an away series win here.
JayG
Guest
Yes, posted on the wrong story... !!! I meant to post on the story about Langer..sorry
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
See my earlier replies regarding Kohli and Australia's batting line-up. Regarding the BCCI's decision not to play a day-night Test, it shows its power used an insular way, but I am not convinced it has led to the worst result, if used properly.
Rats
Guest
I don't understand why Kohli is getting so much flake. Really.. indian fans would be interested to see how India can win a test without Kohli. Afghanistan fans must be eager to play their first ever test match. Their concentration would be fully on putting a decent show so that more teams would want to play with them. What is worrying is the evil BCCI not agrreeing for day night test. Ridiculous they are.. CA disappoints as well.. this is the right time to face Bangladesh.. to see how Aussie batting can perform without Warner and Smith.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
Why not ask them? Cricket Australia has email addresses and contact numbers. I didn't think to ask that particular question.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
Thanks. I will defend Kohli, as strange as it might seem, because he is doing it to improve his Test team. Australia's decision does not do this.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
I doubt it was fear of Bangladesh. Even without the banned trio, I still had them as 2-0 favourites. Perhaps arrogance though.
Paul Potter
Roar Guru
That is why I noted the paywalling of some BBL matches with interest - all the stories of fan burnout last season may have been an influencing factor.
Tom Simon
Roar Pro
Cricket Australia have shown that they take a very short-term and maximise profit focus to world cricket. Rejected Ch10s bid of $960m for all cricket on free-to-air in favour of $40m more. Could that have been used to host Bangladesh?