My three mates and I have been going to the Sydney Test for 20 years, and again enjoyed another commanding Australian performance at the SCG yesterday.
But after a pub feed before heading our separate ways, I was interested to hear the conversation switch for a while to the Big Bash League.
The four of us are all in our forties, married with kids, boys and girls, ranging from toddlers to entering high school.
We’re very much the core demographic for international and especially Test cricket: middle-aged males, decent incomes, fans of the purist form of the game.
But we’re certainly not who the BBL is aimed at. Our wives and kids are very much the target market.
And so as the conversation began, my ears pricked up. To the point that I started scribbling notes.
I was intrigued to know if the guys felt the BBL – and Twenty20 cricket in general – was doing enough to cater for us: template-fitting Test cricket fans.
Here’s what they said.
Ashton Turner of the Perth Scorchers. (Photo by Stefan Gosatti/Getty Images)
Ian
Ian I’ve known the longest of the three of them, but he was the only one of us who never really played a lot of competitive cricket. But that’s never stopped his enthusiasm for the game.
His view was that he loves the BBL, and especially the fact that it’s on every night. He’s been to games, though none this summer.
He wasn’t entirely sure about the franchise model when the state borders were first broken down, even admitting surprise that into the ninth season of the BBL, there’s been no change in franchise name and especially their locations. But now, he’s quick to acknowledge all eight teams have strong identities, and more importantly, support bases.
It was easy for him to adopt the Sydney Sixers as ‘his’ team, but he’s always had a soft spot for Hobart. But he’s not likely to buy a shirt or cap for either. He likes Brisbane too, and like most cricket fans I’d imagine, he’d happily watch the Heat bat every night when they’re firing.
He likes watching the next level state and young players coming through, but loves what the international players bring to the competition.
He had nothing but disdain for them only a matter of months ago, but has got around Tom Curran this season and much as he did with Jofra Archer last season. Like all of us, he can’t wait to see what AB de Villiers does to Australian attacks.
He’s watched most games this year, on Fox Sports almost exclusively, and had really enjoyed the standard over the years. He’s the first to admit that not every game will be a cracker, but he can always find a good contest that’s worth watching.
Coops
Of the four of us, Coops is the only one of us still in the same job, only now he’s really getting toward the pointy end of the pyramid.
Coops and I played the most competitive cricket, plodding around in the lower grades until our heads finally listened to the not-so-subtle signals our bodies were giving out.
His kids are the oldest of our group, and have played a bit of cricket, though not as much as they enter the teenage years.
Coops reckons the longer season has been to the detriment of the competition, and finds it strange that the Sydney derby just after Christmas wasn’t on Channel Seven. Surely that’s how you continue to build the rivalries, just as the Adelaide match on New Year’s Eve has become a known ‘thing’.
This is the first season he and the family hasn’t been to a game, and he doesn’t know why, but can’t see it changing, either.
But he does wonder if the competition has lost some of the personalities of the first few seasons? Where is the 2020 version of Freddie Flintoff on the fielding mic back in the day? And the flow on from that, he wonders, is whether the BBL still has the same sense of fun for the players.
How many characters are there in the modern Big Bash League? (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Are they still getting their kicks too, or is everything just geared towards playing well in order to score an IPL contract?
Ralph
If there’s a ‘cricket nuffie’ of the group, Ralph won’t be surprised to read that the label is being applied to him. He has an encyclopaedic memory of results and performances that go back much further than the rest of us can remember and he’s incredibly smart.
While in England years ago, Ralph worked out that his ticket to Lord’s was not by trying to enter any ballot, but to simply stump up for a Middlesex membership.
His first point stumped me though. The Sixers-Thunder demarcation in Sydney is easy to understand along geographic lines, but wonders what reason cricket fans in Melbourne have to pick the Renegades or Stars?
Ralph worried about the standard; it feels to him like there’s more and more grade players rather than genuine state or first class level players. And that’s apparent in the skills on show, where he finds the fielding often isn’t great, and the bowling isn’t much better.
But he also concedes he would much rather there be seven or eight Tests every summer instead of Twenty20 cricket. It’s easy to watch a BBL game every night, but he’d rather watch a day of Test cricket at any chance.
That said, he can enjoy the contests and can generally find a good game to watch. He likes that the bowling teams have more tactical advantage than they once did in T20 cricket, with all the variation and variety that they now employ.
Ralph reckons that while it feels like batting is becoming more orthodox, citing Callum Ferguson and Usman Khawaja as the standout bats this year, bowlers have had to utilise every trick available to maintain that tactical advantage.
Usman Khawaja of the Thunder. (Photo by Chris Hyde – CA/Cricket Australia via Getty Images)
And this is what has brought more contest to Twenty20 cricket, when for a while there was a genuine fear that the ball might as well be delivered by bowling machine.
I probably find myself in the middle of all of the three of them; I enjoy the competition for what it is more than Coops, but I probably try to look at things a bit deeper than Ian. But not nearly as analytically as Ralph.
But we’re all cricket fans, so it was interesting to see how we individually get what we need out of the BBL to enjoy the cricket as cricket.
We’re certainly not the target audience, but Cricket Australia will need to remain mindful that the competition doesn’t steer itself away from genuine cricket fans while it continues to chase new families and new fans.
And perhaps, that will be the biggest challenge for the BBL in the coming years.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
The issue I have with 20/20 is the sameness of it all after a while - it's a bit like reading a Goosebumps novel or something, it always pans out basically the same way, despite the glossy cover title suggesting this will be something special. I remember when the IPL first showed up and used to be on FTA on Channel Ten's sports channel late at nights, it was great to watch, but the formulaic nature of the format soon emerged. For me, I miss the prospect of an epic lower order comeback, you just don't see it in this format because the run rate escalates out of control far too quickly. I also have noticed this year that the product often doesn't live up to the razzamatazz, the fielding has often been very sloppy, I don't know why these guys can't all do slides, for the money they're on I'd expect it to be mandatory learning. Some players are very very good at this format and it shows, and others are making up the numbers. Some of the umpiring has been pretty ordinary too - not talking about nose scratching, but some of the lbws where it has clearly pitched outside leg, that doesn't help impress people. It's like cricket for the sake of there being cricket at times - maybe at heart cricket isn't that interesting a game when it's boiled down to it's simplest form and the time and mental focus is taken out of it. Personally, I think runs should be harder to score. 120 should be a par score, 140 is good, 160 is outstanding. It makes for a more tense contest I feel.
pakistanstar
Roar Rookie
spot on. BBL should be starting once the Sydney test finishes and stop at the end of January. ODI matches can be played after that in Feb.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I have just 1. Boundary ropes. Get rid of em. Make the boundary fence padded if you have to. No need for them in my eyes.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I’m in exactly the same boat Brendon. I thought I was on last legs during the last English Ashes series. I had watched Glenn Maxwell’s innings in India and stood alone In my room and clapped when he raised his bat and thought that all the haters, the selectors included would have to give him a a real go in the team. The innings was so measured and classical in Maxy terms and was ready to see this guys finally get his chance. Then the English came and we shoe horned M Marsh back in on 2 roads and of course he made runs. That was it for the big show, and I thought I was done. But Steve Smith’s return in England this year had me having to watch. Averaging 63 and a year out of the game, I had to see if he still had it. And of course he did, then Marnus’ super sub had me enthralled. Cummins was superb again. The umpires had me enraged again on an English Ashes tour (the buggers seem to do me every time). Then we finally had a batting line up that in spite of an injured Kurtis Patterson, was the deserving top 6 for what seemed like the first time in decades. Warner went bang but still Marnus outshone everyone by a country mile. Cummins just keeps on doing what he does, Starc was back and very much the bowler we all hoped he would mature into. He also provided Gary with his much needed foot marks and tomorrow we see if Marnus can break the record for a summer. I’m hooked again. Then there’s T20. I enjoy it. It so good having it on instead of all the other rubbish on TV. In all these years no team has given me a reason to be parochial about them. The Heat I have a soft spot for when they’re firing. I love to watch Finch for his batting and his very sharp short form captaincy. I think he’s head and shoulders above every other T20i captain option we have. And of course, Maxy. The bloke has rubber wrists. I don’t know how he does it. That square drive for 6 off a wide Yorker the other day should be impossible. I’ll stop and watch when ever he’s in the middle. I suppose, I love the game too much to hate T20. I probably won’t pick a team to follow and just sit back and enjoy the spectacle each night it’s on. The administrators better be careful though. The second tests get cannibalised by T20 or shortened to 4 days I’m out for good. No Marnus or Smith or Cummins will get me back. I truely hope they can find a way for the two to co-exist.
Old Greybeard
Roar Rookie
I like a serious contest between bat and ball. Therefore, while I do watch a bit of BBL the crap shots that get lots of runs annoy me. Mind you I am a cranky old git and 20 odd years older than your crew. Some of the boundaries on some grounds are about the same as the U12 NSW primary schools knockout boundaries. There are a hell of a lot of sixes that would be catches on a real field. Because I like the contest I have issues with the BBL and the umpiring at times is poor. So I don't feel like they are doing much for me, but at least you raise the issue. One daughter hates it one quite likes it (mid and late 30s)
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
How far back we going? Pre-war? I'm 40 and have never seen any of those except the unlimited bouncers. How bout we get back to the late 80's or early 90's, Boonies fat guts, big merv, Curtly v Jones. Those were the days.
AREH
Roar Guru
It's the unnecessary, overdone noise, gimmicks and bright lights that bother me more than anything too. I understand the need to appeal to kids, but it would be nice to be able to hear the person next to you, and without needless reminders to cheer.
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
Yeah, that drives me nuts too!
Carlin
Roar Rookie
Happy New Year Brett. Hope the festive season went well. We get all the BBL games live in Sky in NZ. I have been watching semi-regularly for most years it’s been on. Find it harder to stay up later though since having 2 young children. I enjoy it. The way it’s broadcasted makes it entertaining. I have notice a drop in quality and some of the novelty wore off after extending last season. One thing BBL could do to help test purists is maybe get a better balanced scheduled so some of the test players who play T20 can play more regularly. I am not sure how they would make that fit on the calendar as both Test Cricket and BBL need to be played at this of year to maximise who can attend.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
I'm a traditionalist i.e. Tests & Sheffield Shield. The novelty of BBL is wearing off for me. I find the music & other gimmicks annoying. Not enough talent to go around especially when the Test players are unavailable. Not enough talented commentators either however the radio commentators are even poorer. Rob Quiney makes Mark Howard look good!
Bear
Guest
Sydney siders don't go to NRL and Cricket games they would rather watch it on TV
JGK
Roar Guru
I take my kids every year to one BBL match in a desperate attempt to get them into cricket and they hate it. Happily the SCG has free wifi so they can play their games on their iPads. I still think it only succeeds/ survives because there is nothing else to watch on TV over Xmas and New Year. When the tennis starts I much prefer watching that.
JGK
Roar Guru
I’d like to go to a BBL game and not get Freddie Mercury being belted out over the loud speaker after every ball.
Steele
Roar Rookie
40 year old Melburnian here! Love the long format. The Ashes in England is about as good as sport gets for me outside of a Demon Premiership flag(wishful thinking). The Ben Stokes heroics although heartbreaking is just about as good as Cricket gets isn’t it? I struggle to watch any pyjama game outside of a World Cup. I’ll put the odd BBL game on in the background but really haven’t been gripped by it. Strangely I’ve taken to the Scorchers more than any Melbourne side(poor branding perhaps?), and yes the rivalry is contrived. I basically prefer the Stars because Marvel stadium is the pits and green is my favourite colour! Say no more. Would much prefer t20 to be a franchise sport only and have the 50 over triangle series of old still in vogue. I will be watching S.A versus Eng tonight over whatever BBL game is on, however I probably will switch on to the BBL when the finals begin. I think it drags on a bit. Less games in more sports in general would provide less viewer fatigue in my opinion and a better overall product, however money nearly always wins out. The NFL has a great product in regards to this. Short and sharp.
Mr Right
Roar Rookie
Yes. :stoked:
Brett McKay
Expert
Good post Christo..
Brett McKay
Expert
There's no question the BBL has become another revenue stream which helps cover state and women's cricket programs, though women's internationals and the WBBL will start becoming self sufficient within a few years..
Brett McKay
Expert
I thought it was a pretty simple question. And I'm not entirely sure what in this lengthy reply your point is now..
Spanner
Roar Rookie
He certainly is not !
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
I’m 50 years old. Is T20 the sort of cricket I grew up with? Absolutely not. But that doesn’t mean I don’t enjoy it for what it is. Cricket has always changed and evolved. When I ask the whiners what exactly are they pining for they can’t tell me. Eight ball overs? Timeless Tests? Rest days in Tests? Uncovered pitches? No restrictions on bouncers? Etc etc