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New Zealand cricket great Glenn Turner has lamented the impact of Twenty20 and the power shift it has given players.

Turner makes his point in a new book penned with noted author Lynn McConnell called Cricket's Global Warming where he feels the game has reached a crisis point.

"What worries me most is they have gone down a path of capitalism, if you like, where money rules and you've got Twenty20 dominating to such an extent where it is putting what I consider to be more worthwhile forms of the game virtually into the background," Turner told Breakfast on 1 News on Monday.

GETTY IMAGES Black Caps captain Kane Williamson has profited from the Twenty20 riches with his success in the Indian Premier League.

"That is only happening because of the money that they can get from that and of course the argument too, is that it is getting more people interested in the game.

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"But if you dine at a fast food takeaway, does that mean that you are going to go on to fine dining? I don't think so and that doesn't appear to be happening.

"So I'm concerned about it going down those sorts of paths."

Turner felt cricket had got out of balance and wondered if the current juncture, where the sport is stalled by the coronavirus pandemic, might be a good time for the game's powerbrokers to look deeper to determine the future.

"More and more money is going to the top end and it's a bit like society where the gap between the rich and the poor as got greater. Hopefully after this pandemic things are going to be reassessed," Turner told Breakfast.

"I think they should be reassessed in cricket as well because your top players are really taking most of the cream and even the next group are really struggling. Then, of course, they [administrators] don't have the sort of money I believe they need to foster the game further down. That's the real concern."

Turner noted cricket had gone the other way to when he had battled authorities as he made his way as New Zealand's first full time professional.

STUFF New Zealand cricket great Glenn Turner is never short of a thought on the game.

"The power has shifted almost totally to the players where boards step back and let the game be run largely by senior players. Things have turned 180 degrees and I don't think either is ideal," Turner said.

"The problem is we have to play so much cricket now for those books to be balanced with what the players are demanding now and the opportunities they have by going to these Twenty20 leagues.

"But the thing that is happening, which I see as a mistake, is that they are getting full 12-month retainers while being able to sign contracts with as many other people as they can and not making themselves fully available for New Zealand. That's too big a sacrifice I feel."

Some top players were being lost to the Black Caps early because they could make more money in private leagues.

Turner also has a dig at last year's World Cup final which New Zealand lost in a super over to England after the teams were ties at the end of the regular 50 overs.

Turner believes the wrong team won, saying England allrounder Ben Stokes should have been given out for obstructing the field when a throw from the field deflected off his bat, giving England the overthrows they needed to help tie proceedings.

Turner felt it was a farce and hoped better use of technology could avoid a repeat moving forward.

"I think that they gave the wrong result. But to have given out the man of the match at the time for obstructing the field which ought to have happened would have of course changed the result.

"Now that you are getting third umpires involved and they are seeing replays of things they will be able to make those sorts of decisions in the future I would hope."