It’s been very easy for the average punter to get caught up in all the (mostly negative) talk about the Big Bash League this summer.
Something the people used to enjoy watching every night has this summer lost its lustre, even if the common narrative has been mostly misconception.
How often have you heard or read someone say, “the BBL’s gone way too long this year”?
That main line of criticism has been running for weeks, yet it won’t be until after this Sunday that this summer’s BBL has officially run longer than in previous season.
The Final last season was played on the first Sunday night in February, with the semi-finals played on the preceding Thursday and Friday night. The Friday night semi-final was the 42nd and penultimate game of the season.
Tonight’s game between Brisbane and Perth at the ‘Gabba will be the 48th game of BBL|08. So not only have we not yet run longer than ever, but we’ve played more game this summer than was played by this same point last summer.
Yet the narrative has not just survived, but thrived. And no amount of inconvenient truth has quelled the belief.
And why has the narrative survived?
Well, I reckon it’s been driven by two major factors.
Firstly, there’s no question the quality is down this year, and down in pretty much all facets. The fielding has often been of a level I’d be disappointed if it came from my former club teammates. Some of the pitches remind me of what I used to play on. And some of the batting – and particularly some of the get out shots – has been awful.
About the only thing that has impressed this year has been the bowling, which on the whole has been pretty good.
I mentioned a few weeks ago the comparatively high number of three-fa’s this summer relative to previous year, and my gut feel this summer is that more guys are bowling up around a dozen dot balls per four over spell.
The other major factor is a bit multi-layered and hasn’t been spoken of as much; I think it’s been more a subconscious thing bubbling away in the background.
And that’s been the form and the results of the Australian team this summer, coupled with the change of TV broadcasters (meaning some games weren’t on free-to-air TV), and general displeasure with Cricket Australia thrown in as well.
BBL, Baby. (Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Individually, they all seem like small fry, but when things pile on top of each other like these factors have, it’s not hard to see why dissatisfaction at the start of the summer has grown into proper resentment.
It’s easy to watch cricket when the Australian side is playing well and the game is in good health generally. When the team’s struggling and the game’s on the nose, it’s not difficult to find things to be critical of.
And here’s another reason, a bonus factor if you like.
The World Champion Australian women came back from their World T20 title in the Caribbean, dispersed around the country and played some wonderful cricket in the WBBL, culminating in two semi-finals and a Final that will go down among the best games of cricket played this summer.
Those three Finals, in particular, produced exceptional drama to the last moment of each game in a way that no BBL game has in 2018-19.
So reports this week that Cricket Australia are drafting up possible changes to the structure of the Australian cricket season next summer, and that both Seven and Fox Sports are effectively demanding changes to the BBL can only be seen as a good thing.
The fact that discussions about the season structure are being had is a good thing. The fact that the broadcasters can see the same thing the fans at the games and on the couch at home can see is a good thing.
The easy thing for Cricket Australia would’ve been to put the fingers in the ears and ignore the noise until it’s gone. “La-la-la-la-la-la-la-la, I can’t hear you.”
The concept of Sheffield Shield games and state one-dayers being played up until Christmas is a good one. The idea of playing the same number of BBL games in a shorter season starting on Boxing Day is also a good one. The wrapping up the state one-dayers in a bloc before concluding the Shield season also has plenty of merit.
(AAP Image/Glenn Hunt)
But that can’t be the end of it.
The demands from broadcasters for additional salary cap money to sign more international players, or international players being paid outside the salary cap are worth listening to.
Increasing the number on internationals in each squad from two to four has to ensure that the quality of domestic players is higher.
Not because bringing in more internationals will lift the quality of the BBL; having a better level of domestic player is where the quality gains will be had.
An IPL-style draft or auction or deliberate distribution of international players around the BBL teams are all ideas worth considering.
The point in all this is that everyone involved wants the BBL to get back to what it has consistently been for a number of years: that nightly summer companion throwing up great cricket moments every night.
Johnh
Guest
I went to the Sixers thunder at school it seemed to me to be aimed at six year old children The same irriating music was played every few seconds The game was never live on the screen There were stupid competitions I did not understand They never named any players who took wickets Especially catches It was Shortened by rain which was a relief I don't think I would go again
Tom English
Roar Guru
"The idea of playing the same number of BBL games in a shorter season starting on Boxing Day is also a good one." How? Sure, compress it, but the same amount of games in a shorter season? How is this doable, other than overlapping games or double headers starting at 4pm on the day-to-day. I'd have it as low as a round robin, or maybe the round robin plus another derby game like they did before last season. 10 per season would be a max, even last year, crowds were starting to dwindle. Now they've nose-dived.
Reg Jones
Guest
Completely concur about living in Perth with BBL timeslot. Especially when its hot staying indoors when the games start at 4:15pm or earlier if there is double header. I'm getting pretty bored with the over the top background noise during the game. Its the same as per every game at every ground, cooeee, lets make some noise, Queen's wayhooo etc with the same loud music soundtrack blaring around the ground. I wish tv networks or fox have it that you can turn off the background noise during the game. The announcers all sound like they've all had too many coffee shots (or on the gear)! I lost interest in T20 with the Scorchers in mid January.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Oh yeah, I'd forgotten about the 'announcer'. Or more likely I'd tried to erase it from my memory! It also shows a lack of confidence in the product itself to be enough of a drawcard. Maybe a middle ground could be reached? A bit of noise/fireworks/whatever before and after the game, perhaps in between innings. Maybe even a quick 'celebration' at the fall of a wicket. But while the cricket's happening - please turn it all off!!!!!
Cigar Field Sobers
Roar Rookie
Same for me, Christo. I really like BBL, living in Perth the time slot is a great way to spend a few cricket-based hours after work and before dinner over a couple of coldies on a warm arvo. The issues facing the game Brett has covered nicely above, but until the parties figure out how to separate greed from growth it will continue to wither : the general chit-chat is disappointment-based and the crowds have really dropped away. I’ve been to a couple of matches each season but as you’ve outlined, the promoter’s obsession with blasting noise at you for all of every available second is now way past annoying. After getting hammered relentlessly from the speakers at the Scorchers/Hurricanes match, to my astonishment the DJ (an entirely separate subject !) ran a “noise-off”, separating the stadium into east/west and seeing which half could create the loudest din, judged by a fake sound meter on the scoreboard. ENOUGH !! Just wanna watch the cricket…. And at the semi-final in Perth last season, the Scorchers batted second like millionaires and got pumped by 70 runs by the Hurricanes, yet with 15 minutes to go and the game already long lost, there’s some dill on the boundary line with a mike, “C’mon people, let’s make some NOOOIIISE !” Shut Up, mate….
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Good article. CA also needs to decide how it wants to market the BBL. If it s to kids who are just as interested in fireworks and constant music being blared out over the PA every second in between balls, that's fine. But you'll find more and more adults losing interest in attending the games. That's certainly been the case for me. But if they toned that down a bit, or were a bit more imaginative in the 'non-game' entertainment aspect of a night out at a BBL game, you might find some of the crowds start to regain their previous strengths?
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Love it. If I knew how to import a laughing emoji thingy I would.
Matt H
Roar Guru
There has been a distinct lack of close finishes this year which has had some effect as well.
Matt H
Roar Guru
Because the Australian squad are excluded, there is a limit on imports and there was more competition for good imports this year with the BPL on at the same time. To make a comparison to rugby league, it's like the NRL round when all the state of origin players are away. The standard then drops too, but it's only for a week or two.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Nailed it. Even before the BBL curse, 'Chairman's Wickets' were creating poorly trained batsmen - think back to the Ashes campaigns early this century - the whole issue of batsmen not being able to handle seaming and swinging deliveries.
Wayne
Roar Guru
So as soon as the Pitches aren't roads the Batsman don't know how to score runs?
Peter
Roar Rookie
Fair enough. Drunk BBQ cricket round then.
Rabbitz
Roar Guru
Hi Brett, Could the feeling of running too long be simply because the games are much the same and offer little in the way of variety nor do they ask the viewer to commit to the spectacle? Couple this with a saturated market with the WBBL and you have people tiring of the bubble gum carnival that is pitched at a demographic who have attention spans of gnats.
El Loco
Roar Rookie
Pretty much agree with everything in the article. All I really wanted to say, for lack of having taken any previous opportunity, is that Alyssa Healy's throw to effect the last ball run out in the WBBL semi was one of the all-time great pressure plays. I feel better now.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Park cricketers are always up for it and rarely bored. I've rarely seen any physical confrontations in big cricket but heaps in park cricket. It's very competitive.
Paul
Roar Guru
Brett, there are all sorts of degrees of "care" and I'm way to the "really don't give a toss" side when it comes to T20 cricket in general and the BBL in particular. That said, I care about the game of cricket, especially in Australia and realize a ) the BBL currently has a place in the Australian cricketing summer and b) it is still settling in to the correct role it should play as a partner to the other three forms of the game, ODIs, Shield and Tests. Your article gives me hope the key managers of the game feel likewise, though probably for economic rather than enjoyment reasons. If it can find the right niche and players can either adapt to changing formats or specialize, then this form of cricket should benefit the sport over the coming years.
Steve
Guest
I think you're right Brett. Having a few beers with some mates on Sunday night and we were all discussing just how boring and dull the Australian sporting landscape is, especially coming into winter. The BBL had actually got me caring in an Australian sporting competition again but this season has been underwhelming. Maybe there is just too much pro sport in Australia. How can Australia's most widely played sport not have enough depth for 8 teams that also includes imports. The AFL has 18, it makes you wonder how poor the standard of that competition must be.
Peter
Roar Rookie
I’ve been watching a bit and last night it was dire. I was wondering if it was the park cricket round. The players appeared to be bored and not up for it. The idea of compressing the BBL is probably right but counter to CA’s aim to want to ‘own February’. I think the fundamental problem is that T20 is not a great game when played on bad decks. Which is related to the fact that Australia’s 2 most famous grounds, MCG & SCG, have godawful pitches. Let’s not even talk about Spotless. Of all the myriad things they could do to improve the Big Bash, it’s those pitches that need improving and spicing up. That’s number 1 for me.