Steven, that's a very good analogy. I'm sure we're not alone in having enjoyed Super 10 and Super 12, maybe evem Super 14 (!) but after that it became impossible. I've asked the question several times, even in a few of these columns - what research has been done and what evidence is there to suggest that all these T20 leagues are sustainable? How could the ICC member nations possibly think that a six-team league in the UAE with a dozen internationals per squad was a good idea? Unsurprisingly, the only vote against the ILT20 came from the West Indies...there won't be any professional cricketers left in the Caribbean soon.
Why bother with test cricket, this is akin to kids going to film school, learning about the wonder and beautiful film that actual film stock gives them, but they will never use it, they will use the wonderful non linear editing thing called a LUT, or a LOG table value...
2 3 4 5 day games are vital to the game of cricket, it teaches and instills a passion for the art of cricket, from how to captain through all phases of the game, it teaches patience and perseverance, discipline and sheer bloodymindeness..
Mr Smith, Graeme to his mom, I am sure would not have the courage or the acumen to take on his role in the destruction of cricket without having been forged through test cricket.. Maybe he hates the format, possibly, this would explain CSA giving up on the format..
CSA only lose "millions" as through sheer incompetence and greed, the previous generations of "boards" let the game become run down, they never saw the true value of the game, they never fought for it, and there are folks that are extremely passionate about the 2 3 4 5 day format...
This last test match, done an dusted in 2 days, disgusting, no one can be proud of that, but a win is a win I guess, how can anyone be proud of a game that lasted barely 200 overs, all over within 2 days, including a long stoppage due to rain...England really had no interest in the game...
It is sad that no one will ever enjoy a captain's knock of 250 to win a test, of batting with a number 9, or the Jack of the team..of last hour heroics in the fading light, in the drizzle, trying to hard to avoid a series loss, of an incredible last innings win..
T20 and ODi have turned the game, into something perverse, I wonder how many true supporters will continue to enjoy the game, there are way too many leagues, too many games, results are for the most part irrelevent.. I have no idea for example about the Springboks, who plays, who wins, mostly as I don't watch, so what is the point of investing interest in something I cannot enjoy???
In the end, with the lack of broadcasting on available free to air/youtube, cheap streaming services, the names become pointless, I have lost all not respect, lost a sense of knowing, of caring, which is sad, but what is alarming is that cricket, rugby, F1, netball, rely on sponsors, of brands using the event to promote their brand, so the blackout 90% of the audience for no other reason than greed, makes no sense.. The ad spend, the increased rates if you as the broadcaster can prove your increased audience numbers, would more than cover the costs of broadcasting the event... At what point does a product cease to have value? The custard slice example, when does this custard slice R21.99 become R0.00? One obvious answer, once the shop closes for the night...
So if you have a game that say last 4 hours, and you let someone broadcast the game 2 hours after you start, then has your product lost value? If you shared the costs of broadcast rights, 2/3 to 1/3, as you as the primary rely on live, and the 1/3 shareholder on delayed, then what is the problem? Supersport is about the now, the live, the instant it happens, they see no value in delayed broadcasting. The value for them is in the now, the right now, as it happens LIVE.. Delayed 2 hours when everyone already knows the result cheapens the broadcast to what $0.00???
Your comments about CSA's finances may be partly true but if that was the sole reason for losing millions on tests, it would be an unlikely coincidence that most other national boards were doing the same! The fact that Neil says that white-ball games are worth much more, given that the major source of income is broadcasting revenue, suggests that that is the main reason--and it's not true everywhere (England's broadcast deal, for example, values tests higher than white-ball games).
I can't see that there's much mileage in the "true supporters" approach--unless the aim is to prove how intolerant and closed-minded you are! "True supporters" have been enjoying List A cricket for sixty years now, and many of them enjoy T20 too.
I am not your dear boy, and you don't understand what a test match is if that's your view of one. They take many different forms. Maybe open your mind a little--and cut down on the condescension.
And develop your reading skills! The answer to some of your rather troll-like points in both posts is in Neil's article. The valuing of tests over white-ball in England I was talking about referred to the broadcast deal (that's why I used the words "broadcast deal").
And --my word--"whiteball is a stupid moniker? It comes from the colour of the ball for heaven's sake--it's just a suitable shorthand for different forms of short-form cricket.
Closed minded? Me? Perish the thought.. I understand the need for white ball BazBall, and red ball Cricket, cricket is a game played over 5 days, 450 overs, 2 innings per side, maybe 3, if team A batting first sets a huge 500+ in the 1st innings, team B needs to get close, batting, then bowl again, then chase down the required runs in the last hour, day 5.. before bad light or the rain sets in...But when team A sets 120, team B 320, then team A is all out, over red rover for 12 less than Team B 1st n 2nd Innings less than 12 behind, that my dear boy is not cricket, that is a farce, a mockery, a scam on the public, the broadcasters, the viewers..
120 x 2 over 2 days, including time lost for rain, is 2x BazBall games, why bother with the fuss and the mess and the wasted catering for 5 days, why not have 5 BazBall games, 5pm to 8pm..Just late enough to get home and put the kids to bed..
England value tests over what? Really, I do recall there was rejoice in the colony here at the junction of 2 oceans, when it was announced that SA v England+Wales would be a series of 5 x Tests, and that never actually came to anything.. Why are we not playing 5 tests, Joburg, Pretoria, Kimberley/Bloem/ Cape Town, Durban? Maybe Durbs n PE alternate.. One for tests, one for BazBall...
Bazball is the new name for white ball, whiteball is a silly moniker, Bazball is the rage, hashtags are woke, so hashtagsBazBall... Here you can have funny laws, like strategic outs, time outs, penalty runs, fun n games, and happy hour overs where if you hit 4x6, you are gifted a free "not out" or a couple of bob to a named Charity...
Why not admit that cricket is over, demolish the stadiums, we don't need them.. Rather just rent a couple days in Sharjah or Dubai... Makes sense, close enough for almost everyone to have home game... Is this the plan for 2026 and beyond?? After all it is for Golf, and F1.. So much IPL played in the UAE, Pakistan have moved there, SA should as well...
Cricket is at an interesting place right now. We grew up on international cricket being everything, so seeing it change and adopting more of a football model is a little scary (from a selfish and purist point of view of course). I wonder if the current crop of players in age group cricket will even have international cricket ambition. Tristan Stubbs got noticed by the big leagues before even playing for SA. Brevis is a little different in that he shone at the u/19 world cup, but still, he's a massive name and he has not even played for SA yet. I am still waiting for the brave young player who will come out and say "my ambition is to play franchise cricket around the world, and I have no interest in playing for my country". I am sure a lot of them feel that way, but they cannot dare say it.
So it looks like the IPL will land up running the smash and bash competitions around the world. But just like all the soccer leagues in the various countries have international windows, so cricket should have Test windows. There will always be those who appreciate the skill involved in cricket over the slogging in the other game.
This whole precarious scenario reminds me instantly of Super rugby. Brilliant concept at the birth of professional rugby, it was the ultimate provincial rugby tournament and delivered high quality entertainment with the best players from RSA/Aus/NZ for the first third of the rugby season.
Then the finance guys got involved, they thought they could just ramp up the fixture list, expand the offering and revenue would follow accordingly. The short story is that it got boring, they tweaked and tweaked but only ever extended it. A lot of the best players moved to greener pastures as Europe and Japan offered a better deal.
Like most things, it all comes down to money in the end. Currently the $$$ from T20 are forcing the calendar, and for players to make the tough choices between instant cash and long term tradition/respect. The blindingly obvious point is that the demand for more T20 is not limitless.
So do we sit by and watch T20 shoot cricket in the foot? Just by launching the Hundred shows that the T20 menu is full and already too boring for the public, so the failure of some leagues is inevitable. Maybe the best thing is to realise that less is more, and a top down decision is made to cap the amount of T20 matches a player can do per calendar year. If Jos Buttler can only play 50 days of T20, instead of a 100, then his price per day has just doubled.
That's never going to happen but another way to alter course is for the finance model of Test cricket to change. Why should it be a loss making endeavour? Either it costs too much to put on (you only really need 22 players, 4 match officials and a piece of grass to get it going) or it's not seen as worthwhile it to the paying spectator or the TV viewer.
We can not afford for test cricket to go down the tubes, someone in power from India or the ICC (preferably both) needs to realise this and make some big calls.
A thought provoking article again. I’m really sad that less test cricket will be played. I’m particularly sad that England won’t tour SA until 2025/6 for test matches? That will be a full 7 years since they last toured SA. As an Englishman it is my favourite tour and makes me sad to think that I won’t do that tour as often. I know I can go and see three t20s next year but that’s not he point. Why would CSA not want England to tour more frequently when they are big money spinners?
Anthony, CSA would like England and India to tour every year. As would all of the other Test-playing nations... :) As I said in the column, the best we can hope for now is the 'bare minimum.' Sadly.
Neil, I feel helpless that this is the situation. England v SA is always good in every sport. The cricket has been spiky and always competitive between the two. To my disappointment the last test proves that SA are good, and yet we don’t want to play them often and try and beat them. I despair if I’m honest. I’m losing interest in the white ball game but am powerless to see the slow death of test cricket.
As Neil posts below, it's basic maths--which is the same answer as to the hand-wringing about why England aren't touring WI in the next five years.
The Ashes are every two years if you count home and away series. England-India series are the same--and of course England will want to prioritise them, because India are pretty much always one of the world's top teams nowadays and they have four times as much income as the entire rest of the global sport put together.
There are six series per WTC. That leaves four in each one to go round six countries--which means every country plays two England series every three WTCs.. So that means a home and an away series every six years--which may often turn into seven because of scheduling adjustments. (Like SA, England will tour WI again within seven years provided that test matches are still a thing in 2028 or 2029).
It's the same, or worse, for everyone. England are about to play an away Pakistan series for the first time in seven years, Sri Lanka will have gone eight years between their last and their next series in England, NZ didn't play in England for six years before last year, and Bangladesh will have a gap of at least eighteen years between tours of England (and ten without any series at all against England).
Neil may correct me here, but I think the issue would be England's willingness and availability. With the current schedule, they are already down to play more Tests than anyone else.
Dear Oz, I'm never going to correct you - I have to the obvious and sensible conclusion that you are better informed than me on most subjects and probably have better contacts, too. And yes, I am being serious! I always enjoy your responses and I'm grateful that you take the time. But the main reason I'm not going to correct you, this time, is because there is nothing to correct...
Steven, that's a very good analogy. I'm sure we're not alone in having enjoyed Super 10 and Super 12, maybe evem Super 14 (!) but after that it became impossible. I've asked the question several times, even in a few of these columns - what research has been done and what evidence is there to suggest that all these T20 leagues are sustainable? How could the ICC member nations possibly think that a six-team league in the UAE with a dozen internationals per squad was a good idea? Unsurprisingly, the only vote against the ILT20 came from the West Indies...there won't be any professional cricketers left in the Caribbean soon.
Why bother with test cricket, this is akin to kids going to film school, learning about the wonder and beautiful film that actual film stock gives them, but they will never use it, they will use the wonderful non linear editing thing called a LUT, or a LOG table value...
2 3 4 5 day games are vital to the game of cricket, it teaches and instills a passion for the art of cricket, from how to captain through all phases of the game, it teaches patience and perseverance, discipline and sheer bloodymindeness..
Mr Smith, Graeme to his mom, I am sure would not have the courage or the acumen to take on his role in the destruction of cricket without having been forged through test cricket.. Maybe he hates the format, possibly, this would explain CSA giving up on the format..
CSA only lose "millions" as through sheer incompetence and greed, the previous generations of "boards" let the game become run down, they never saw the true value of the game, they never fought for it, and there are folks that are extremely passionate about the 2 3 4 5 day format...
This last test match, done an dusted in 2 days, disgusting, no one can be proud of that, but a win is a win I guess, how can anyone be proud of a game that lasted barely 200 overs, all over within 2 days, including a long stoppage due to rain...England really had no interest in the game...
It is sad that no one will ever enjoy a captain's knock of 250 to win a test, of batting with a number 9, or the Jack of the team..of last hour heroics in the fading light, in the drizzle, trying to hard to avoid a series loss, of an incredible last innings win..
T20 and ODi have turned the game, into something perverse, I wonder how many true supporters will continue to enjoy the game, there are way too many leagues, too many games, results are for the most part irrelevent.. I have no idea for example about the Springboks, who plays, who wins, mostly as I don't watch, so what is the point of investing interest in something I cannot enjoy???
In the end, with the lack of broadcasting on available free to air/youtube, cheap streaming services, the names become pointless, I have lost all not respect, lost a sense of knowing, of caring, which is sad, but what is alarming is that cricket, rugby, F1, netball, rely on sponsors, of brands using the event to promote their brand, so the blackout 90% of the audience for no other reason than greed, makes no sense.. The ad spend, the increased rates if you as the broadcaster can prove your increased audience numbers, would more than cover the costs of broadcasting the event... At what point does a product cease to have value? The custard slice example, when does this custard slice R21.99 become R0.00? One obvious answer, once the shop closes for the night...
So if you have a game that say last 4 hours, and you let someone broadcast the game 2 hours after you start, then has your product lost value? If you shared the costs of broadcast rights, 2/3 to 1/3, as you as the primary rely on live, and the 1/3 shareholder on delayed, then what is the problem? Supersport is about the now, the live, the instant it happens, they see no value in delayed broadcasting. The value for them is in the now, the right now, as it happens LIVE.. Delayed 2 hours when everyone already knows the result cheapens the broadcast to what $0.00???
Your comments about CSA's finances may be partly true but if that was the sole reason for losing millions on tests, it would be an unlikely coincidence that most other national boards were doing the same! The fact that Neil says that white-ball games are worth much more, given that the major source of income is broadcasting revenue, suggests that that is the main reason--and it's not true everywhere (England's broadcast deal, for example, values tests higher than white-ball games).
I can't see that there's much mileage in the "true supporters" approach--unless the aim is to prove how intolerant and closed-minded you are! "True supporters" have been enjoying List A cricket for sixty years now, and many of them enjoy T20 too.
I am not your dear boy, and you don't understand what a test match is if that's your view of one. They take many different forms. Maybe open your mind a little--and cut down on the condescension.
And develop your reading skills! The answer to some of your rather troll-like points in both posts is in Neil's article. The valuing of tests over white-ball in England I was talking about referred to the broadcast deal (that's why I used the words "broadcast deal").
And --my word--"whiteball is a stupid moniker? It comes from the colour of the ball for heaven's sake--it's just a suitable shorthand for different forms of short-form cricket.
Closed minded? Me? Perish the thought.. I understand the need for white ball BazBall, and red ball Cricket, cricket is a game played over 5 days, 450 overs, 2 innings per side, maybe 3, if team A batting first sets a huge 500+ in the 1st innings, team B needs to get close, batting, then bowl again, then chase down the required runs in the last hour, day 5.. before bad light or the rain sets in...But when team A sets 120, team B 320, then team A is all out, over red rover for 12 less than Team B 1st n 2nd Innings less than 12 behind, that my dear boy is not cricket, that is a farce, a mockery, a scam on the public, the broadcasters, the viewers..
120 x 2 over 2 days, including time lost for rain, is 2x BazBall games, why bother with the fuss and the mess and the wasted catering for 5 days, why not have 5 BazBall games, 5pm to 8pm..Just late enough to get home and put the kids to bed..
England value tests over what? Really, I do recall there was rejoice in the colony here at the junction of 2 oceans, when it was announced that SA v England+Wales would be a series of 5 x Tests, and that never actually came to anything.. Why are we not playing 5 tests, Joburg, Pretoria, Kimberley/Bloem/ Cape Town, Durban? Maybe Durbs n PE alternate.. One for tests, one for BazBall...
Bazball is the new name for white ball, whiteball is a silly moniker, Bazball is the rage, hashtags are woke, so hashtagsBazBall... Here you can have funny laws, like strategic outs, time outs, penalty runs, fun n games, and happy hour overs where if you hit 4x6, you are gifted a free "not out" or a couple of bob to a named Charity...
Why not admit that cricket is over, demolish the stadiums, we don't need them.. Rather just rent a couple days in Sharjah or Dubai... Makes sense, close enough for almost everyone to have home game... Is this the plan for 2026 and beyond?? After all it is for Golf, and F1.. So much IPL played in the UAE, Pakistan have moved there, SA should as well...
Having just posted a comment, this one said it all for me. Good points well made.
Cricket is at an interesting place right now. We grew up on international cricket being everything, so seeing it change and adopting more of a football model is a little scary (from a selfish and purist point of view of course). I wonder if the current crop of players in age group cricket will even have international cricket ambition. Tristan Stubbs got noticed by the big leagues before even playing for SA. Brevis is a little different in that he shone at the u/19 world cup, but still, he's a massive name and he has not even played for SA yet. I am still waiting for the brave young player who will come out and say "my ambition is to play franchise cricket around the world, and I have no interest in playing for my country". I am sure a lot of them feel that way, but they cannot dare say it.
So it looks like the IPL will land up running the smash and bash competitions around the world. But just like all the soccer leagues in the various countries have international windows, so cricket should have Test windows. There will always be those who appreciate the skill involved in cricket over the slogging in the other game.
This whole precarious scenario reminds me instantly of Super rugby. Brilliant concept at the birth of professional rugby, it was the ultimate provincial rugby tournament and delivered high quality entertainment with the best players from RSA/Aus/NZ for the first third of the rugby season.
Then the finance guys got involved, they thought they could just ramp up the fixture list, expand the offering and revenue would follow accordingly. The short story is that it got boring, they tweaked and tweaked but only ever extended it. A lot of the best players moved to greener pastures as Europe and Japan offered a better deal.
Like most things, it all comes down to money in the end. Currently the $$$ from T20 are forcing the calendar, and for players to make the tough choices between instant cash and long term tradition/respect. The blindingly obvious point is that the demand for more T20 is not limitless.
So do we sit by and watch T20 shoot cricket in the foot? Just by launching the Hundred shows that the T20 menu is full and already too boring for the public, so the failure of some leagues is inevitable. Maybe the best thing is to realise that less is more, and a top down decision is made to cap the amount of T20 matches a player can do per calendar year. If Jos Buttler can only play 50 days of T20, instead of a 100, then his price per day has just doubled.
That's never going to happen but another way to alter course is for the finance model of Test cricket to change. Why should it be a loss making endeavour? Either it costs too much to put on (you only really need 22 players, 4 match officials and a piece of grass to get it going) or it's not seen as worthwhile it to the paying spectator or the TV viewer.
We can not afford for test cricket to go down the tubes, someone in power from India or the ICC (preferably both) needs to realise this and make some big calls.
A thought provoking article again. I’m really sad that less test cricket will be played. I’m particularly sad that England won’t tour SA until 2025/6 for test matches? That will be a full 7 years since they last toured SA. As an Englishman it is my favourite tour and makes me sad to think that I won’t do that tour as often. I know I can go and see three t20s next year but that’s not he point. Why would CSA not want England to tour more frequently when they are big money spinners?
Anthony, CSA would like England and India to tour every year. As would all of the other Test-playing nations... :) As I said in the column, the best we can hope for now is the 'bare minimum.' Sadly.
Neil, I feel helpless that this is the situation. England v SA is always good in every sport. The cricket has been spiky and always competitive between the two. To my disappointment the last test proves that SA are good, and yet we don’t want to play them often and try and beat them. I despair if I’m honest. I’m losing interest in the white ball game but am powerless to see the slow death of test cricket.
As Neil posts below, it's basic maths--which is the same answer as to the hand-wringing about why England aren't touring WI in the next five years.
The Ashes are every two years if you count home and away series. England-India series are the same--and of course England will want to prioritise them, because India are pretty much always one of the world's top teams nowadays and they have four times as much income as the entire rest of the global sport put together.
There are six series per WTC. That leaves four in each one to go round six countries--which means every country plays two England series every three WTCs.. So that means a home and an away series every six years--which may often turn into seven because of scheduling adjustments. (Like SA, England will tour WI again within seven years provided that test matches are still a thing in 2028 or 2029).
It's the same, or worse, for everyone. England are about to play an away Pakistan series for the first time in seven years, Sri Lanka will have gone eight years between their last and their next series in England, NZ didn't play in England for six years before last year, and Bangladesh will have a gap of at least eighteen years between tours of England (and ten without any series at all against England).
Neil may correct me here, but I think the issue would be England's willingness and availability. With the current schedule, they are already down to play more Tests than anyone else.
Dear Oz, I'm never going to correct you - I have to the obvious and sensible conclusion that you are better informed than me on most subjects and probably have better contacts, too. And yes, I am being serious! I always enjoy your responses and I'm grateful that you take the time. But the main reason I'm not going to correct you, this time, is because there is nothing to correct...