Cricket Australia (CA) desires to push for a “minimum of three-Test series” to be performed in the World Test Championship (WTC) cycle to maintain the red-ball format of the sport alive and kicking.
While CA chief government Nick Hockley understands {that a} absolutely operational T20 match is paramount for sure nations that depend on it to thrive on the world stage, he desires the cricket governing our bodies around the globe to plan a plan that would goal at stopping the overlap of such leagues with the worldwide calendar.
“The preference is a minimum three-Test series. So we’ll keep advocating and championing that. I do think there is work to be done on the FTP (Future Tours Programme) going forward, and it’s really (about) cementing the World Test Championship, (and) really advocating for three-Test series as an absolute minimum,” Hockley mentioned as reported by ESPNcricinfo.
“And then as best as we possibly can, making sure that (when it comes to) domestic T20 competitions, we minimise the overlap for those countries where it is an important source of revenue, so that every country is prioritising international – and particularly Test – cricket,” he added.
Hockley’s assertion has come in the aftermath of Cricket South Africa prioritising its home T20 league, SA20, by holding all of its star gamers again at dwelling and choosing a squad predominantly comprising fringe gamers for a two-match Test tour of New Zealand which coincides with the SA20 2024 schedule.
“That’s been a wake-up name for everybody. The function of T20 [in] bringing new youngsters and new individuals into the sport cannot be underestimated. The perception is that the 2 can coexist. This was suboptimal scheduling.
“I think we in Australia – it’s very clear that throughout the whole period the Big Bash has been around – have always prioritised international cricket. But this has shone a light. And certainly, we’ll be working with the ICC through scheduling groups to make sure those types of clashes don’t manifest and really champion the fact that people need to be prioritising international cricket,” Hockely talked about.
Hockley additionally voiced assist for cricket our bodies which are struggling from the financial level of view to play Test cricket and endorsed the thought of the well-off boards and the ICC coming collectively and supporting them.
“The problem is the economics. There are components of the world the place the income from the T20, ODI and a Test are the identical, but the prices of placing on a Test are considerably larger.
“What we’ve seen over the last few years in Australia, what we’re seeing this summer, and what we saw in the UK over the English summer is that Test cricket is really thriving in certain countries. And in that sense, it is a bit of a two-speed economy. The challenge is that we continue to support those countries that are struggling a little bit more in terms of Test cricket,” he concluded.
