the ipl and 20/20 cricket...

[slept in]

hello

below is a link to jonathan agnew's views on how 20/20 and the ipl will impact on test cricket. does anyone have any views? he raises the points i'm sure a lot of cricket fans are already thinking. could this be the end for the apex of human sporting achievement (the test match)?

;)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/tms/2008/04/exciting_times_but_dangerous_t.shtml

[dano]

I cant see it being the end of Test cricket, i really cant. But i cant see a future for 1 day cricket now. Surely Test and 20/20 can live happily together? And lets be honest, a 20/20 league in England would likely be pretty crap, one of the reasons the IPL is doing so well is the calibre of the players there and the novelty value.

[jungle slut]

I'm pretty mortified that there are no English players in the IPL. I think the non-appearance of English players is a Canute-esque rejection of the way cricket is going. 20/20, and more importantly big budget tournaments on the subcontinent are obviously the way forward.
The thing is, (sadly) nobody except for England and Australia gives a shit about Test cricket anymore. Test cricket is loved and nurtured in England and Australia, but that, I am afraid, is it. Crowds in India, Pakistan, Lanka and increasingly Bangladesh are bored rigid by test cricket.
I love test cricket, but lovers of the format are an increasingly small proportion of those who follow cricket.
I actually quite enjoy 20/20, more so in fact than 50 overs. Perhaps we should have 20/20 and test cricket and just drop the one day matches :)

[slept in]

I agree with both of you, get rid of the 50 over format. not that i don't like it in pricnciple, it's just that we need to make room in the schedule to stop the overloading which has led to a drop in overall quality of cricket being played. the only thing is, will players be able to switch between 20/20 and test cricket?

i too like 20/20 as entertainment by the way...

[slept in]

oh and yes, let the england players join the ipl for fucks sake. it's embarassing...

[peej]

I read this article last week. 20/20 is a diverting evening's entertainment on a nice day at Trent Bridge (just over the road from where I work) but it's not really cricket. A good comment is made by someone below the article about there being no real bowling tactics, and as a former bowler (I retired at 18 ) this saddens me. Basically, the batsmen try to smash every ball; they either get it right or get it wrong. In fact, in 20/20 it's actually less advantageous to bowl really fast, most of the time, unless you can guarantee to bowl an in-swinging yorker every time haha....

I actually much prefer ODIs to 20/20 internationals, am I the only one?

However, there is NOTHING to compare to a Test Match. If Test Matches ceased to be played, I would probably stop watching cricket :(

[slept in]

I read this article last week. 20/20 is a diverting evening's entertainment on a nice day at Trent Bridge (just over the road from where I work) but it's not really cricket. A good comment is made by someone below the article about there being no real bowling tactics, and as a former bowler (I retired at 18 ) this saddens me. Basically, the batsmen try to smash every ball; they either get it right or get it wrong. In fact, in 20/20 it's actually less advantageous to bowl really fast, most of the time, unless you can guarantee to bowl an in-swinging yorker every time haha....

I actually much prefer ODIs to 20/20 internationals, am I the only one?

However, there is NOTHING to compare to a Test Match. If Test Matches ceased to be played, I would probably stop watching cricket :(


Oh yes, it's certainly a batsman's game. although, fast bowlers have been of limited use in limited overs games anyway throughout the game's history. i only say that 50 over games perhaps be banned because there is far too much cricket being played and something has to give. 20/20 could be the cash cow that allows test cricket to continue???

[dano]

The most influential player in the IPL so far has been a bowler - Shane Warne.

[cash_or_exchange]

the only thing is, will players be able to switch between 20/20 and test cricket?


Couldn't it be like Rugby with the Rugby 7s tournaments and teams? Totally different training and different team members.

[peej]

Oh yes, it's certainly a batsman's game. although, fast bowlers have been of limited use in limited overs games anyway throughout the game's history. i only say that 50 over games perhaps be banned because there is far too much cricket being played and something has to give. 20/20 could be the cash cow that allows test cricket to continue???

Fast bowlers - yes, more limited in limited overs, but much less limited than in 20/20. In 50 over games, the batsmen aren't quite as gung-ho and so don't take a 50/50 chance so often (unless you're Adam Gilchrist or summat). Hence, it's more possible to keep things tight as the higher order batsmen don't want to get out quickly. In 20/20 getting out doesn't really matter so much.

Cash cow etc. - yes, perhaps. I'm certainly no lover of 50 overs in comparison to 5-day games.

[peej]

The most influential player in the IPL so far has been a bowler - Shane Warne.

Shane Warne is one of the greatest players of all time in any cricket format, so that doesn't really mean much ;)

I think the point is that it's definitely a batsmen's game.

I haven't seen any of the IPL, so I can't really comment on how that's panning out. I've seen Notts play 20/20 and the 20/20 World Cup, which is what I'm basing my opinion on.

[Pev]

I'm reserving judgement a bit on the IPL , still have my doubts about how much these global superstars are actually going to put into it ( read an article that quoted an anonymous superstar as saying he would play for a few weeks then getting " a tactical hamstring injury " which would curtail his involvement and yet guarantee his paycheque ) .
I would also be worried about an English Premier League being formed along big city franchise lines , speaking as a member at Somerset CCC i'm pretty certain that we would not fit the criteria ( ground capacity and population base possibly ) and would be expected to transfer our allegiances to a south west and wales franchise in either Cardiff or Bristol . This despite the fact that we have a pretty strong support ( close to a full house for a 50 over game last Sunday ) which the likes of Sussex,Derby and Leicester ( probably the most successfull 20/20 team by the way ) also enjoy and who would also probably miss out .
The 50 over games still have a lot of appeal amongst regular county supporters who get a full days play that still has the time to take in the ebb,flows and nuances of the regular game ( quite a few travel from all parts of the county for this ). I feel that the full on charge from some people to the "EPL" and general 20/20-ification ( while it is hugely enjoyable and undoubtedly a good thing in correct doses ) will run the risk of disregarding the true county stalwarts , it is also starting to attract generally unsavoury elements into the crowd who treat it as a prelude to their night out and wish to get plastered and behave offensively with liitle regard to what is happening on the pitch . I know that one or two counties were starting to get problems last season ( Essex is one what springs to mind ) and my brother ( who is a serving police officer in the Taunton area ) told me about problems during and after 20/20 games involving Somerset .
I do feel that the next few years will require a very considered and balanced approach to how the world and domestic game is organised . There is a place for thriving test , 50 over , 20/20 and domestic competions , but we still need to remember what each form of the game is about. Each serves a purpose and has a definite appeal to many people for different reasons , while it may be short term beneficial to "sex up " the game in order to chase lucrative support,sponsorships and broadcast rights we still need to make sure there is plenty of viability for when these people move onto the next big thing .

[slept in]

I'm amazed anyone can get plastered at 20/20 games. The couple I've been to have been literally an hour wait for booze.

I've seen some brilliant 50 and 60 over games, but they are rare, due to the boring tactics of a lot of teams. I think something has to give in terms of the amount of cricket being played. Just how can you balance a national 20/20 competition, 2 further limited overs games, a 4 day comp, plus a rigorous international schedule. it's exhausting just thinking about it...

[Little Beaver]

Blimey, I've only just noticed that sport has been hived-off into its own little DJH ghetto. To the question in hand...

Firstly, I don't think Test cricket is in any real danger. We'll see fewer 5-test series which is a shame, but everyone - the players, the administrators (even those greedy Indian bastards), everyone - love the long-form game too much. It may not get the crowds, but it is where legends are built, and batsmen will continue to want to measure up against Bradman, and bowlers against Larwood, Holding et al.

Secondly, the 50-over ODI format has, despite the bleating trad brigade, actually improved test cricket, certainly so far as batting is concerned. Without it we would never have seen the explosive rise in run-rates and the massive increase in test matches ending in positive results.

Thirdly, 20/20 is better than 50-over because it gets rid of the boring 30 overs in the middle.

Will 20/20 affect the quality of test batting and bowling? We'll see. However, more countries are producing genuine quickies and attacking spinners than I can ever remember before, despite the proliferation of ODIs.

England should get involved in the IPL. I can see a time in the near future when April-May and September-October of each year are given over to 20/20 world wide, with the remainder of the year given over to tests.

[slept in]

a balanced opinion. good work LB. Although I am fearful at how so much one day cricket will affect the player's concentration for test matches.

i am very concerned at the way English cricket is run though. it's a shambles.

Needs a complete overhaul.