Tim Paine loving documentary feedback from Aussie fans - and Joe Root

Apart from just letting your entire population get infected - Italy style - I can't see way out apart from mass vaccination. Could be the biggest vaccination program since Polio. Agree production could be the major issue - will be interesting to see

Very true, Jeff. I've seen estimates of 12 - 18 months before opening national borders, hence Virgin looking for government relief. That leaves a sporting hole, unless you have your sporting memoirs ready to be serialised for monthly contributions!

Foxtel has Warne, mate. He's doing the groundwork trying to get his favourites up, as he doesn't have a direct link via Clarke, Smith or Lehman anymore!

From memory I think he said he'd only watched the first episode or two. He didn't say whether he liked it or not, but did say that it had "inspired him" (he might have said "fired him up") to do better in Australia at the next Ashes.

Think you’re probably right sadly Jeff. I suspect we may get some limited air travel in six months with countries that are doing a decent job (NZ) or have turned things around but that won’t be most. I guess the tour by India going ahead is conceivable - would just need some special arrangements in place. BCCI can certainly afford to charter a jet, but testing/quarantine rules in place would be key.

Definitely need a vaccine. Even if that could be pushed through in 6 months – and that seems unlikely – we’re still at the end of the year. A mass vaccination program would take a while you’d think…I wonder if they would actually do it door to door?

The arrival of a vaccine may be the get out of jail card. I know everyone is speculating on this 12-18mth time period for it's arrival but if social distancing effctively limits transmission you end up with very little herd immunity. The motivation to get this vaccine out will be greater than almost any other time in human history

@ Paul. I'd also add that at 50% global infection (seems to be common consensus) at (conservative) 1% death rate, we're looking at 35M-45M dead globally in next 6 -9 months (but could easily surpass 100M+). That will put the frighteners up everyone, but especially policy and decision makers. Outside of first-world health care systems that can support widespread respiratory care (and even some of these countries are struggling), we won't be seeing much "flattening of the curve" in the developing nations this year (many of which are cricket's core - Asia and Africa; what's happening in India this week alone beggars belief). "Invitations" to other nations to enter Australia before a vaccine is in place (early/mid 2021?) are going to be few and far between IMO. Hopefully we can get elements of our domestic economy rebooted this year, but beyond that I fear we have a long way to go with some semblance of normalcy re international engagement in 2021 and even that is optimistic as far as I can see. Not wanting to be a doom merchant, but I really think we we will be in a "new world" come next year re international sporting engagements.

What did he think of it Bushy? Did he like it or think it was rubbish.

:laughing:

@DaveJ. Testing maybe will open a window, but I still doubt international comps in most countries will be able to proceed this year, just too much risk based on the risk-adverse approach taken by Govts (certainly Australia) thus far. I think the WTC will be postponed as there are already qualifying bilateral series that won’t be going ahead in the next 12, 16 etc weeks as a starter.

@Paul. I agree the airlines are losing bucket loads of money, but I doubt the airlines will be dictating sovereign border controls/timing any time soon (indeed the major carriers may even be partly/fully publicly owned by then). I agree there will be some limited travel, but is the Govt really going to be that comfortable with entries from some regions of the world where there is even a hint of loose control over CV management? Pakistan, India, SL, Bangladesh in Asia for a start. I simply see no way that Aust will relax things to a point that risks taking us back to square one in 6 months time because of some undetected carriers reigniting spread. Maybe better testing will be in place by then, but I would be surprised to see most international sporting contests back in full swing before Xmas – maybe the India tour could go ahead as it is only one team and if they were to agree to say 3 weeks isolation beforehand. The Australian Govt said it wouldn’t be sending athletes to the late July Olympics (14 weeks away). For the Govt to then agree to multiple countries coming here 9 weeks later for the T20WC would be somewhat inconsistent.

I don't even want to think about how rampant - and lingering - this will be across the subcontinent for the next 12 months, maybe more.

My name is Joe

exactly.

Actually, as a more optimistic footnote to my response above to Jeff, if they can ramp up testing to a level where people could take a test before leaving Australia or testing everyone as soon as they arrive, then some limited international travel might be possible in a few months.

Spot on Jeff. We’ve got some kind of chance getting this to a manageable level in 6-9 months, but unlikely most of the others will - except perhaps NZ - but they may be reluctant to open to us! Let’s hope we’re erring in side of being pessimistic here.

we'll get in a full summer Bob, including India's visit. Whether we have lots of big names in the BBL is up in the air but I reckon the rest of the season will go ahead.

I can see airlines kicking off travel on a restricted basis way earlier than that Jeff. There's simply too much money being lost for these companies to get back into the air, as soon as they possibly can. You're right, there will be severe restrictions in place and travel to countries with ongoing CV 19 issues will either be restricted or banned, but I'd suggest travel will start happening on a limited basis domestically within 3 months and internationally within 5-6 months

What Joe needs is a shameless Hussey.