Cricket at the crossroads?

[bjs127]

In today's Age:

Cricket knocked for six


My view is that T20 and particularly the IPL have cheapened the entire cricket brand, throwing up too many meaningless results from meaningless games. If I flicked Fox Sports on and saw an IPL game most of the time I would have no idea if it was live or from 6 months ago or even 12 months ago. The money on offer means the Taits of the world can command a stupid salary bowling 4 over spells and turn their back on the top level of the sport (Test cricket). The boom in T20 audiences has also raised viewers expectations which inevitably result in the slower pace of Tests being less interesting as it less bang for your buck, and i fear the tactical battle of Test match cricket is being somewhat lost on the younger generation.

There are too many tours too often during the year creating a state of constant flux where it feels like we are neither in or out of cricket season....so far there has been precious little media hype as to the Ashes series which should be one of the most competitive Ashes series in Australia for 20-25 years.

I hope this summer can reinforce peoples perceptions of what cricket should be - hard, competitive, 5 day battles where the empahasis is on pressure and tactical superiority rather than simply strike rates, sixes and "power plays"... :v:

 

[COMPO]

I was about to post this. We know cricket has lost it's allure. Select Australia has said that it is "commercially unviable" to produce a collector series this year. Obviously last years didn't sell whether it was to pricy, quality to poor or collector apathy. Futera UK is concentrating on soccer so no cricket issue this year. It is also noticable from the number of posts on this site that cricket losing out to other sports. Cricket is being broadcast on Fox sports from around the world as well as local day games. So the answer to the lack of ground participation or interest isn't lack of exposure. There is just so many people to go around to sports that are growing in popularity against crickets' doldrums. The crowds in the recent tests v India were poor. Hopefully the Ashes will relite the spark and cricket will live again, how long it will last is debatable.

Wake-up call: we're losing teens, women and TV fans

 

[Farmer2Goggin2Wade]

Well I'm 16 and I love test matches! Love how the batsmen can bat for a day maybe more and put up big scores. I love how bowlers can bowl unlimited overs and get upwards of 5+ wickets and get 10+ wickets for the game! )

 

[Matty76]

I can't recall the scrutiny on individual players being as intense as it is now. Every day without fail, we read that Hussey and North need to go, Ponting will be sacked if we lose the Ashes, Hauritz is no good, Clarke is not captaincy material, and on and on and on it bloody goes!

Right now, cricket in Australia is being damaged by incessant negativity - I thank my lucky stars that Ian Chappell and Richie Benaud are still around to provide perspective, when other journalists/bloggers/columnists (many of whom would not know sporting success if it bit them on the arse) are shouting from the rooftops in a "look at me, I'm controversial!" fashion.

The grounds WILL be packed this season against the POMS, the ratings WILL be sky high, and the Aussie boys WILL do US proud! C'MOOOOOOOOOOOOON