Following another change in leadership at Cricket Australia, one wonders if it will finally trigger a rethink into what is the most important part of their role.
No, not to have hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank account, but to invest in and grow the heart of the game at the community level.
In recent years we have seen not one, but several stoushes between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers Association, ostensibly over money and how much each group wants to make out of the top level of the game.
During these disagreements, both sides have claimed to have grassroots cricket’s best interests at heart.
It felt as though the club and junior cricketers of the nation were being held to ransom, yet once the dispute was somewhat settled there didn’t seem to be a lot more flowing their way.
With the onset of the current pandemic, Australian cricket seemed to be in a good position to weather the storm given it was the off-season, and recent signs showed hope that once the cricket season begins in earnest that crowds may even be able to attend big matches this summer, even if the men’s T20 World Cup had to be postponed.
Instead, we saw what amounted to a panicked response, with staff stood down on 20 per cent of wages and a severe reduction in grants to the state associations, which then saw further cuts in staff by these associations, all on reduced forecasts of income over the next 18 months.
These forecasts were no doubt made under a worst-case scenario rather than the brightening skies that came with the confirmation of the Indian summer tour and the hope of crowds returning earlier than once thought. So the states and the ACA justifiably began to ask just what Cricket Australia’s finances were like. How could this possibly be happening?
(AAP Image/Sean Garnsworthy)
All we have heard so far is what impact the pandemic will have on the elite level’s finances. What we have not heard, in any form, how CA intends to shore up and support grassroots cricket, which is the lifeblood of the game.
No matter what their economic forecasters believe will happen, CA must bite the bullet and make a massive campaign to keep kids and adults alike in the game this summer. If this means (and surely it won’t) having to borrow money against future earnings, then they must do it.
A lot of families have been hit hard by COVID-19, with job losses or lower earnings as a result, which may mean that they cannot justify paying registration fees. Similarly, businesses that regularly sponsor clubs and associations may not have the money to do so, leaving them short of funds as a result.
All of this trickles through to each level of cricket. If there are fewer players, there are fewer teams. Some clubs will suffer, some associations will struggle. And players lost to cricket now may never return.
CA needs to get on the front foot and find a way to institute schemes to ensure everyone is playing cricket. Whether that is by subsidising every cricketer’s registration fees for the coming season, covering association fees or finding a way to ensure the financial hardship of playing cricket is reduced, Cricket Australia needs to come to the party.
This is something the parent organisation must take on itself if it wants to prove that it does indeed care about grassroots cricket and those that play the game at this level – it cannot rely on goodwill from its own organisations, or look to its state organisations to carry the weight.
The next three seasons in Australia are a goldmine – India tours this season, an Ashes tour by England next season, and South Africa playing in Melbourne and Sydney the following season. Even if crowds cannot attend in full numbers this summer, the following two summers will surely be bountiful and profitable.
This is the risk Cricket Australia must take now, spending money on their grassroots in the belief that it will be recouped by those big upcoming tours.
Yes, it’s easy for someone like me to write this without full knowledge of the accounts and funds the national body holds, but if CA wants to preside over the biggest sport in our country, investments must be made now to ensure that cricket is in the best position to not only recover following this pandemic, but to expand and prosper in its wake.
Micko
Roar Rookie
They are their own worst enemy sometimes Dave. They don't want to integrate.
Paul D
Roar Rookie
I was simply responding to your points other Paul. You raised migrant cricketers first. Anyways. I said my piece, we shall see what pans out.
Rellum
Roar Guru
I think so
Rellum
Roar Guru
Why did anyone take a paycut. It was the offseason. The game was not impacted in anyway here.
Paul
Roar Guru
Was Roberts appointed by the CA Board under Peever?
Paul
Roar Guru
I'll bet if you asked NSW, Qld & WA delegates to the Board, you might get a different opinion, Dave. Certainly the Associations were less than thrilled, not only at the cuts to grants, but the lack of clarity about CAs financial position. The same Abbott & Cost.... sorry Eddings and Roberts duo also said Roberts resigned and wasn't pushed, had the backing of the Board, etc, when I'd bet big money that wasn't the case.
Rellum
Roar Guru
The over representation of private schools in elite sport is nothing but a distraction, a convenient bleating about elitism. Utter rubish. It shows a system where kids from wealthy schools get loads of advantages and contacts. Not to mention their parents can cover the thousands of dollars that "rep" teams charge at times. We dont encourage enough kids to get out and play sports into high school and we certainly do not have an egalitarian system. Truely elite kids will make it through many fall through the cracks that dont need to.
Paul
Roar Guru
You're changing the narrative Paul. You started off suggesting cricket was all about a few very elite players but other than that the game was doomed. Now you're suggesting CA hasn't done enough about getting migrants into elite levels of the game, which is a completely different issue. My point is simple, plenty of people are playing cricket. Are they playing in the structured, organised way Associations would like - probably not for many of the reasons you mentioned, but there are still lots who get out and have a game, as well as those who have the capacity to play in competitions. I can certainly see womens cricket taking off and that in turn would help junior men numbers to increase, BUT both need significant support from the Associations which obviously means commitment from CA. As for migrant cricketers, many can't/don't get involved simply because they're trying to get economically established in Australia. Many in my experience have worked extremely long hours in low paying jobs, which doesn't allow a lot of time to play organised sport. Their children however, often benefit from this love of the game and it's they who I expect to see come through in future years. I also agree they do it tough with the comments that come their way, but some will make it to elite level, just as they have in Aussie Rules, for example. Will cricket "take off" as you seem to think I think - I've got no idea but it has a chance of CA and the Associations spend time and money on the grassroots, If they don't, it may well take off for a few years, but will certainly not prosper as it should, if the caretakers of the game don't care enough.
Brian
Guest
Tickets were $5 and Katie Perry was there. One of my girls went and let me assure you she would rather do her homework then watch cricket.
Jon
Guest
The over representation of private schools in elite sport is nothing but a distraction, a convenient bleating about elitism. The over representation is only due to scholarships, not to do with selection favouritism. The athlete has often been identified and selected into elite programs before they even attend the private school, often transitioning in year 9. The demands on their time from these schools can be a distraction from their elite pathway - In Vic, school football taking precedence over TAC games is an example. I can also tell you from experience that the coaching and cricket played in those schools does very little to prepare the player for higher honours! Club and even pathway cricket v peers is a far harder finishing school, but if students have to commit to Sat sport then club comes last...not a real advantage in missing out on that. So the argument about private school kids getting preference here is flawed.
Jon
Guest
At Paul D there have been threats to the game for a long time. Having worked in game and participation development too long ago, to consulting into the sport and rec sector and nowadays having contacts in cricket across all levels, what you fear is nothing new. But there is a major upside you are not acknowledging. The increase in female participation across the country is quite spectacular and support, including funding, for that is deep. The benefits of this to the game as a whole are quite obvious but one in particular is that it now brings more families to the cricket clubs - not just dads and sons but whole families. That family connection with the sport was lost for some time and it is a very influential piece in the engagement puzzle. When you add the informal engagement to the game, illustrated by our new migrants playing tape ball and winter cricket in big numbers we see a deep cultural connection that does not dissipate as our friends settle in to their careers and have kids. As that happens they also engage with club cricket because they can afford it. Locally we are seeing that happen now, with my association fielding more teams last year and my club having its demographic change from senior XI's with 15 to 17 year olds playing with 35+ oldies to a majority in our 1st 3 XI's being between 19 and 27. So yes threats are real, and should be front of mind but things ebb and flow and now that we have national teams in the women's and men's that we can be very proud of, don't underestimate the pull of the game.
Simoc
Guest
I expect all the staff and ex staff to turn up to assist Roberts pack his bags and even open the door for him to leave. Unfortunately this Eddings character is part of the same old washed up brigade and appears to have nothing fresh to offer. He'll get his free entry and lunch invite for life now so lets hope he doesn't hang around for to long. Why should players take a pay cut? They earn an agreed percentage of revenue so if the pot is only half full they only get half pay. It's the poorly run Admin that's the problem and Roberts just wasn't up to the job and was way overpaid for his average performance. Eddings isn't either.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Rellum, scholarships, facilities and high level coaching on staff. The public sports high schools at least in NSW were an attempt to provide an alternative and have to a degree but the unintended consequence there is the divide between SHS's and regular schools in CHS competitions. Regular schools then can't compete with SHSs. The private school programmes cover so many sports too, for instance swimming is a big one, water polo especially in Vic.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Yes, I have heard, and called out a lot of blatant racism on cricket grounds in recent years. It is still rampant.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Don't forget most kids are not playing any sport now with screens being the big attraction. Cricket has a big problem with it's youth development, thinking they can pick every kid who is going to go on and be an international at the age of 17 is just a flawed system. Then to promote those kids all the way up the grades without earning it just to give them experience has not worked. Our batting stocks have never been so low. Greg Chappell has a lot to answer for. On private schools, there is an massive over representation of private school kids in elite sport. I think the last Olympic teams had nearly 70% of athletes had come from private schools. Given how poorly private school kids do at Uni compared to public school kids you wonder what our teams would look like if the whole country was given the opportunities that private school kids get.
Rellum
Roar Guru
Roberts was always just Sutherland 2.0. When there was supposed to be a big cultural change at CA, to appoint a guy who embodied the status quo was a bewildering appointment that was always going to be a failure, and showed CA was not really up for real reform.
Rellum
Roar Guru
:laughing:
matth
Roar Guru
Paul does have issues to work through with himself!
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
I see that both Eddings and Roberts admit/claim that the Board was on board with a lot of the severe cuts. So questions about them too.
DaveJ
Roar Rookie
Disturbing to hear that kind of racism is frequent on the cricket field. Needs to be stamped out. Participation among Indian and sun-continental communities is a big hope of maintaining playing numbers as time goes on.