England could play 12 Tests while Australia are inactive this year, putting the Aussies at a massive disadvantage for the Ashes next summer.
Cricket Australia’s decision to abandon next month’s three-Test tour of South Africa due to fears about the coronavirus means Australia have no confirmed Tests between now and the Ashes.
England, meanwhile, will play a minimum of 12 Tests between the time of Australia’s most recent Test (against India at Brisbane) and the start of the Ashes.
Those 12 Tests include England’s recent second Test in Sri Lanka, their upcoming four Tests in India, followed by two Tests at home against New Zealand, and finally five home Tests versus India.
This would give England vastly superior preparation to Australia ahead of their five-match Test series down under this year.
Australia have already had a remarkable drought of cricket in the longest format, having played just one solitary Test series in the past 12 months, compared to England’s three series in that same period.
Come the Ashes, that ledger could incredibly read six series played by England versus one series played by Australia unless CA manages to schedule a contest in the next few months.
Australia desperately need Test exposure to regain their groove after a rusty effort against India. The scheduled series in South Africa was a gilded opportunity for the Aussies.
(Photo by PATRICK HAMILTON/AFP via Getty Images)
It would have given them to chance to regain their number one Test ranking, book a spot in the World Test Championship final, banish some of the memories of their disastrous 2018 tour of SA, and quickly move on from the loss to India.
Instead, the Aussie Test team is being sent back into mothballs. If they remain inactive for the rest of this year, while England are playing Tests non-stop, then they will be vulnerable come the Ashes.
A Test team cannot simply flick a switch and immediately play their best cricket. Months and months of inactivity can leave any side sluggish and stale.
It is understandable that CA were worried about the safety of players and staff should they have toured SA from late this month. That nation is not only dealing with a major coronavirus outbreak, but is also trying to contain a particularly contagious strain of this virus.
I can’t second-guess CA’s decision. I am not privy to any of the advice they were given by their health and security experts, apart from what’s been published in the media.
What am I confident in saying, however, is that CA must now do everything possible to organise Tests for their side between now and the Ashes.
Australia are meant to be hosting Afghanistan for a one-off Test this November. But that match has yet to be confirmed by CA and they have a grim history of avoiding matches against minnow teams in all formats.
Let’s be honest, though. A single Test against an opponent as weak as Afghanistan is awful preparation for the Ashes. If that’s all the Test match exposure Australia get between now and the Ashes then England’s chances of an upset will skyrocket.
(Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)
CA must find a way to either reschedule the tour of SA, or lure an opponent to Australia for a long Test series in the next six or seven months.
CA normally do not schedule Tests in Australia between March and October. This year they must break that tradition.
There are several factors in CA’s favour. Firstly, Australia has done a sensational job at containing the coronavirus and continuing to run major sporting events.
Secondly, the weather should remain relatively dry in some parts of the country for the next three to four months.
In my home city Perth, for example, there is very little rain in March, April and May. That gives CA another four months to make a series happen here in WA, where there is a specialist cricket venue (the WACA) that isn’t used for the AFL.
Such a Test series doesn’t need to be in Perth, though. If CA is serious about giving its Test team the best possible preparations then they could find a suitable venue in any major city in Australia, even if that ground had never hosted Test cricket before.
These are extraordinary times. Now CA needs to implement extraordinary measures.
Because that is what it could take to make sure the Aussie team doesn’t spend another year sitting on its hands, waiting to be ambushed by an England side that’s playing as much Test cricket as ever.
Nick
Guest
The "cheat?"
nics
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't say he's that poor overseas - his home/away average is 23.84/31.33 (plus he's just taken 3 quality top order wickets today in India). Not superb, but not too shabby at 38yo. He does average 35.43 against us so probably not ideal for every test (other than the day/night at Adelaide, and perhaps the MCG or the SCG). As a point of comparison: Cummins (21.39/21.86); Hazlewood (24.72/27.05); Starc (26.94/28.66); Mitchell Johnson (25.87/19.56); Broad (25.54/31.25); Stokes (31.96/31.07). I wonder whether that's a comment on bowler-friendly UK pitches, and relatively friendlier batting pitches in Australia. Stats courtesy of Howstat
Buk
Roar Rookie
Nicko, the plan was not fully instigated until the late 1970's. It involved more regular tests (sometimes one-off) in Sydney to help the ARU financially.
Naughty's Headband
Roar Rookie
Maybe I am, maybe I'm not...there's no doubt in my mind that we are the team everyone wants to beat, and there's no doubt in my mind that the we are a little bit soft now.
James
Guest
Yeah it goes both ways which is good for us on here and the English equivalent. Means if Australia lose, Australians can say that the loss was because of lack of games but for the opposite outcome the English can say it was because of overscheduling. Then both sets of fans can be happy and know their team is the best because they either won, or they lost because of their own mistakes not the other team being better. Yay!
James
Guest
Wait you are being serious? I thought your comments were a character you were playing pretending to be the bogan stereotypical Aussie from bad films but you are being serious?
Andrew
Guest
Bledisloe of tri sports. Rugby cricket netball. Some here some there . Cricket by day double header rugby netball after stumps.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Because the kiwis wanted to shove in an ODI series instead to maximise revenue. This was after the itinerary was already planned out and booked in! :thumbdown: Lucky for them the aussies were kind enough to accept their request.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I don’t recall that happening. Why was it cancelled?
hahahahahaha more Micko BS......i hope you dont store all this BS at your house or your house would be totally full of BS....Maybe it is totally full and is now spewing out constantly onto the ROAR pages....That must be it!!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
How about a 3 tests over in NZ in mid Nov to just before the Ashes starts. Good prep for the Aussies - if they lose that will tell them they need personnel changes before taking on England, and if they win it sets them up with confidence to deal to the Poms. I know NZ will also love a chance at redemption against the Aussies. Let's face it - this Kiwi / Aussie series in the bubble has to happen this year - both sides have a lot to gain, and little to lose. NZ and Oz Administrators - make it happen lads.
Micko
Roar Rookie
You keep going on about 2003 and some apparent conspiracy us big mean aussies were part of to rid NZ of co-hosting rights, which has been shown to be rubbish. The same issues the kiwis had in 2003 Jacko apparently weren’t an issue for their rugby administrators in 2011. Australia & NZ co-hosted the cricket world cup for the second time in 2015, no issues there from the NZ side. In fact Jacko, both nations had 7 hosting venues each, and around a 50% split of games. Australia & NZ won the rights to cohost the 2023 women’s soccer world cup, with no issues apparently from the NZ side. It seems you have some bad administrators in your rugby union. But that’s not a surprising revelation given that petulant display from them and their clown of a boss last year, where instead of cooperating with the aussies during the pandemic, he started dishing out ultimatums like: “You can have three teams join OUR comp”, just to stick it up the aussies. Naturally the aussies told them where to stick their offer, and Hamish McLachlan told the media he wouldn’t even bother opening an email sent from clowns like that NZR clown Robinson, and I can’t say I blame him at all Jacko.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Well they showed a lack of respect when they begged to have the Third Test of the last Test series Australia played in NZ cancelled! It’s ironic kiwis grizzle about the aussies not being there enough, and the prominence of two test series they play. As we saw then, even with a three test series planned against the aussies (presumably a drawcard for them) their cricket administrators weren’t happy about it, and wanted change.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I don’t think it would hurt for Australia to show the Black Caps the respect they’ve earned over recent years. Yes we pumped them here last year. Let’s go straight back over there and see where we are at instead of waiting 8 years between NZ home series.
So full of it again...Where did I say that?...
Oh yeah sure micko...lets play 3 tests a year that dont mean anything to us...yep Im sure thats what RA are saying.....So stop playing them...its Aus that demanded it go to 3 a year back in 2003...And havnt won it since!!!
Micko
Roar Rookie
So the aussies forced the kiwis to tell the sport's international governing body that they'd refuse something that was mandatory for all international tournaments by the 90's? Righto Jacko! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Micko
Roar Rookie
It would certainly be the perfect time for them!
Chris Love
Roar Guru
2021 is the perfect time for us to tour them for a 5 test series.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
This is relatively easy fix. Australia hasnt toured NZ since 2015/16. The next series is scheduled for 2023/24. That would be 8 years between drinks. Schedule a 5 test series with the current number 1 team in the world between now and the ashes. Preferably early spring if the weather permits.