The increasing success of abbreviated versions of cricket and colleague Phil Gould's criticism of the NRL Nines would appear to be quite disparate subjects.

I'm told the Big Bash League is becoming the Humungous Bash with each passing week. A cricket loving friend of mine told me "the world's gone mad".

Meanwhile, Gould recently said on Twitter of the Eden Park pre-season jamboree: "I don't like it ... I have zero interest in it."

Asked why, he responded: "Injuries of course. And the fact many NRL players are not suited to the game. Why should they be forced to play?