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South Africa news
South Africa v Australia cut to two Tests
ESPNcricinfo staff
May 4, 2011
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Players/Officials:
Doug Bollinger
| Michael Hussey
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South Africa's home Test series against Australia will be played over just two matches - as opposed to the customary three of recent times - with a packed international cricket calendar being offered as the reason. The truncated schedule will be formally announced on Friday by officials of the two boards and from Sri Lanka, who are also involved in series against both countries.
"Because of the fixture list, we have to have two Tests this time but the next time Australia tour South Africa they will play four Tests here, because they will owe us one," Gerald Majola, CEO of Cricket South Africa, told ESPNcricinfo.
South Africa and Australia have played three-Test series in every encounter between the two countries since South Africa's re-admission to international cricket in 1992, often as back-to-back home and away series.
The removal of one Test from the traditional program is confirmed in the ICC's Future Tours Program, which states South Africa "host Australia, two Tests, two T20s, three ODIs". ODIs and T20 have commonly been used as a tour revenue counter-balance for the fluctuating crowds commonly witnessed at Tests in the rainbow nation.
The two-Test series is scheduled for October, which could overlap with, or run very close to, the Champions League Twenty20, in which Australia and South Africa are financial partners with India.
However, officials say that is not seen as a significant factor in the Tests being pruned. Tony Irish, chief executive of the South African Cricketers' Association, pointed to the amount of cricket to be played in that time, with South Africa hosting Australia and Sri Lanka, an ODI series against West Indies and a tour of New Zealand.
"October to February is an extremely heavy period of scheduling," Irish said. "The Champions League Twenty20 was not a point of discussion from our point of view."
Paul Marsh, the Australian Cricketers Association CEO, took a slightly differing view, saying the problems of a schedule swollen by non-FTP events and series, including the Champions League, had not helped.
"It's not ideal," Marsh said. "There is too much in the schedule, and decisions like these are due to the amount of non-FTP cricket being played, including the Champions League and the Indian Premier League."
The next FTP, which is still to be finalised despite coming into effect in less than a year, is far from guaranteed to offer an improved or more equitable schedule, as national boards weigh their own self-interest against the demands of the ICC's world Test and ODI championships.
The Champions League did play a role in Australia's Test cricket last year, when the key duo of Michael Hussey and Doug Bollinger gave up their preparation for a Test series in India by staying on at the Champions League in South Africa with their IPL team, the Chennai Super Kings. Having arrived a mere two days before the first Test at Mohali, in vastly different conditions, neither man could contribute strongly to Australia's cause.
Bollinger suffered a side strain on the final day as Australia pressed for victory, and his absence was keenly felt as India wriggled free to win by one wicket. He subsequently struggled with his fitness across the home summer, and made nowhere near the Ashes impact he could rightly have been expected to.
© ESPN EMEA Ltd.
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OMG! @jonesy2; I actually agree with you. That's twice in one year. Amazing. Agreed, Aus V SA - always worth watching, and I will be.
Posted by duralsumo on (May 06 2011, 21:12 PM GMT)It is basic marketing that if you want your product you distribute to as many avenues as possible. So what has the new IPL managment done taken it off the air in two of the most traditional markets. It is not shown in Oz or England. So two competitive test series have been fragmented by IPL and the Champions Trophy. Last years India Australia series and this years Australia South Africa. Come on ICC restore our game. Given that IPL have decided not show its product to OZ and UK is now deemed to be a domestic tournament and should have no impact on International Cricket like it is now.
Posted by 5wombats on (May 06 2011, 15:18 PM GMT)This is terrible news. Damn right about IPL all you other commenters. No-one in Aus or Eng gives a stuff about it - it's not even on Telly in UK. But so far as the real game goes IPL is a wrecking ball to technique and temperament, eg - everything that is good a great about our game. @Aussasinator; I fear that you are right.
Posted by candyfloss on (May 06 2011, 10:14 AM GMT)The money hungry cricket board of australia is destroying test cricket,sure borads want to get richer there should be a balance,besides who cares about T20 its just a light entertainment,not as gripping as a test match.
Posted by Aussasinator on (May 06 2011, 09:57 AM GMT)The original, superior , form of cricket is slowly giving way. Let's admit that its the financials that drive sport and there is little scope for old world romanticism, unless T20 reaches a definite, accepted saturation. Curent year's IPL seems to be getting lackadaisical spectator response in India mainly because the Indian viewers are yet to finish savouring the World Cup victory. By next year, the interest will be back to its original level. And we are not worried if someone feels people in Australia dont know about it - it matters for nothing. The Australian players themselves are descending on the IPL, leaving their country priorities. The emerging Aussie cricketer is a shorter version aspirant and none in his right senses would aspire to be a Test cricketer. It shows heavily in the lack of quality in the Test team. IPL simply sprinkles money and world cricketers run like a pack of hounds! The ones criticising IPL should first adminish their own country's cricketers.
Posted by jonesy2 on (May 06 2011, 07:48 AM GMT)it will also clash with the rugby world cup. uh-oh
Posted by jonesy2 on (May 06 2011, 07:46 AM GMT)well said phil. scrap one one dayer and one 20twenty and add a test. there done.
Posted by Biggus on (May 06 2011, 07:39 AM GMT)@Philvdk-I think you may be on the money there. It's such a one dimensional game that it paradoxically invites boredom and the constant racket of music and crappy commentary hits me like someone running their fingernails down a blackboard. Most of all, I don't really need to be told by those same commentators how incredibly 'exciting' everything is. I can work that out for myself, but give me a spinner and a class batsman locking horns on a third day wicket anytime. I am reminded of Richie Benaud's commentary dictum, "If you can't add to the picture keep your mouth shut". Amen to that! We 'purists' have been loyal to our game through thick and thin and will not be swayed from our devotion, but these 'fair weather' cricket fans will disappear as soon as they're bored or their team loses consistently. Perhaps T20 could be renamed 'Whackit' to avoid any confusion with real cricket. Then the 'Whackit' fans can have their own website and leave this one to discuss the game of 'Cricket'.
Posted by Kirstenfan on (May 06 2011, 07:23 AM GMT)This is ridiculous and Majola grabbing more money. Why does SA play so little cricket compared to other countries?
Posted by duralsumo on (May 06 2011, 06:58 AM GMT)It is a pity that ICC does not outlaw 2 Test series en masse as 2 Test Series are an insult to the visiting country and test cricket generally. Further has the IPL thought of streamlining the duration of its tournament. Surely there more than two matches can be played on any given day. In this age of digital TV and multistreaming more than one match can be shown on any given channel. If they need a model on how a T20 tournament should operate they should view how Australia ran the BIG BASH for the last four years all done and dusted in a month. To those of you feel that the less tests the better. You will probably win however may the death of cricket skills that make T20 games exiting be on your hands. You probably do not have the aptitude to understand the subties of the game. To South Africa Board surely you could have made it a dedicated test series and have a one day series at another time. Australia have visited India the last four springs for this purpose.