Australia’s home ODI series against South Africa has been cancelled, opening the door for more international stars to feature in the Big Bash League.
The Proteas have pulled out of the three ODIs in January, scheduled for Hobart, Sydney and Perth, due to the new Twenty20 league in South Africa.
Cricket South Africa’s leaders last month told Cricket Australia they would not allow their players to stay Down Under for the white-ball series in fear of compromising the launch of their own domestic T20 league.
CA tried to find alternative dates for the matches but were unable to do so with a cramped schedule in 2023 involving a tour of India, an Ashes series and an ODI World Cup.
It now leaves a window after the New Year’s Test in Sydney for Australia’s multi-format players to feature in the much-maligned BBL.
The Seven Network is trying to terminate its TV rights deal with CA because it has been unhappy with the state of the BBL during recent seasons.
“It is disappointing that Cricket South Africa will be unable to contest the ODI series in January,” CA chief executive Nick Hockley said.
“That said, we are delighted to be hosting South Africa for the three-Test series which includes the Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests.
“We can’t wait to see fans back at the cricket this summer.”
Test captain Pat Cummins and fellow fast bowling Mitchell Starc have already ruled themselves out of featuring in this summer’s BBL.
But Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Swepson, Nathan Lyon and Alex Carey are contracted to BBL franchises, while Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith have a desire to return to the competition if available.
The likes of Melbourne Stars guns Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis and Adam Zampa, Australia’s white-ball skipper Aaron Finch and Perth Scorchers pair Mitch Marsh and Ashton Agar will now be free to participate in the entire BBL if they are not called up to the Test squad.
Due to the ODI series being called off, CA have relocated two men’s T20Is to the Gabba and Optus Stadium in Perth, as well as a women’s international to Hobart’s Blundstone Arena.
WINSTON
Roar Rookie
True, high risk decision by CSA. Possibly affecting South Africa's chances of qualifying for the world Cup.
WINSTON
Roar Rookie
SA forfeit the points though, we are making it difficult for ourselves to qualify for entry into the World Cup in 2023
WINSTON
Roar Rookie
Too much corruption at board level. Unfortunately
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
South Africa stand on 11th Spot in the ODI World Cup qualifying rankings . Below teams like Afghanistan and Ireland . Yet oddly are in 6th place in the actual ODI rankings where NZ remain nr 1 despite only having played roughly half the nr of games as everyone else . So anyway the chances are high that The Proteas will not qualify for the World Cup . It highlights the mess that the system is . In the World Test Championship same story , the rankings table looks quite different to the actual Test Rankings . So which one is the truest indicator of a countries standing . Surely a single table should suffice per format .
Adam
Roar Guru
Squeezing the lemon and getting 3 formats of cricket is the issue for mine. My attention span really only goes so far over summer
Adam
Roar Guru
Maybe they'll at least stop whining about too many games of cricket...
Jeff
Roar Rookie
Yes, I think CA has a damaged product from the last couple of years and this season's approach seems like more of the same, so winning back the fans/eyes they lost will be tough.
Tony
Roar Guru
That will work, but how will they justify the inflated salaries they've all become used to.
Adam
Roar Guru
I'll be fatigued and I'm the casual cricket fan the BB is aimed at. Just can't be bothered...
Adam
Roar Guru
Just a straight up knock out
Jeff
Roar Rookie
After 9x ODIs, 5xiT20s, a month long T20WC and 5 Tests by Jan, I wonder how much the public would have already turned off anyway come the SAF ODIs. Similarly, I also wonder whether there will be cricket-fatigue amongst the broader cricket following public when the BBL comes around?
Jeff
Roar Rookie
It is quite different re January, though that said, it's non-stop home internationals form August to January: - Aug/Sep: ODIs v Zim - Sep: ODIs v NZ - Oct: T20s v WIN - Oct: T20s v ENG - Oct/Nov: T20WC - Nov: ODIs v ENG - Nov/Dec: Tests v WIN - Dec/Jan: Test v SAF
Tempo
Roar Rookie
This is a win for CA. A ODI series hidden behind a paywall gets cancelled, freeing up their stars to play BBL just as the new rights deal is up for negotiation. Australia gets a free 30 points in the ODI Super League, virtually guaranteeing automatic qualification for the World Cup. Meanwhile, South Africa will almost certainly have to play a qualifying tournament for the last two spots in the World Cup, and risks missing out altogether.
Lawrence
Roar Rookie
So no international cricket in Australia after January 4, one month into your summer. How times have changed.
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
They do . It’s a bit misleading in the wording . Was called off last year due to the pandemic so I guess a bit of a relaunch . For what it’s worth I don’t follow it .
Just Nuisance
Roar Rookie
Doubt that was the intention but I can imagine it would have made the decision a bit easier to make .
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
I'm sure SA wouldn't have had revenge on their mind, just less concerns about how their decision would affect their hosts.
CPM
Roar Rookie
What makes you think that. There is a 15/16 provincial union T20 knockout competition and there is a T20 team provincial 8 team union competition. This new competition in January is the equivalent of the SA IPL featuring 6 franchises that are to be privately owned. So the current 8 team provincial competition will fall away.
Tony
Roar Guru
Start on Boxing Day and finish on New Years Day
Chanon
Roar Rookie
What goes around comes around!