TWO-TIER TEST CRICKET

Cricket Australia reinforce support for two-tier Test revamp

by Cricbuzz Staff • Published on

"The need for that context and structure is clearly there." - James Sutherland © Cricbuzz

Cricket Australia (CA) reinforced its support of a proposed two-tiered revamp of Test cricket at the three-day Australian Cricket Conference held in Melbourne during the week.

More than 200 people were part of the conference in a bid to set a five-year strategy for the game and discuss key issues in the first such gathering since 2010. One of the main issues discussed was the contentious reformatting of the Test format into two divisions, which is opposed by the boards of India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

During the International Cricket Council's (ICC) annual meeting in Edinburgh in June, chief executive Dave Richardson believed revamping Test and one-day international cricket was necessary for greater "context and structure". It was a sentiment echoed by James Sutherland, Cricket Australia chief executive, in Melbourne this week.

"The need for that context and structure is clearly there," Sutherland said. "If that (India's opposition to a two-tiered Test model) is an obstacle then we need to work through that. But at the same time those that do see it as an obstacle also need to see a bigger picture about the benefits of having some structure and looking at an alternative commercial model for bilateral rights."

Sutherland said the emergence of Twenty20 domestic competitions has changed the consumption of cricket globally. "We're seeing a diminution in the value of (television) rights," he said.

"Part of the reason for that is because international cricket, Tests, one-day cricket and T20 internationals, doesn't have the context that the fans are looking for to really understand."

With Olympic fever in the air, CA expressed its support for cricket to be included as an Olympics sport. It has been reported that cricket could be on the cards of being part of the 2024 Olympics if Rome emerges as the host city.

"We see the Olympics, as do all other countries bar one, as very important to the development and growth of the game globally," CA chairman David Peever said. "The discussions at the ICC are ongoing and we are continuing to try to work through the issues which are making it difficult for India to at this point agree."

Peever said developing cricket at the grassroots level was essential.

"Grassroots cricket will also form a bigger focus in the development of the Australian cricket strategy," he said. "We want to better support grassroots, as they are critical to our growth as a sport, and also play a crucial part in their own community."

Other key focus areas identified at the conference and endorsed by CA's board and state associations include developing women's cricket, creating a more robust strategy for men's and women's Big Bash Leagues in the context of complementing international cricket and working towards hosting the 2020 Twenty20 World Cup.

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