Coaches expect one-day revamp

One-day cricket requires a sharp overhaul and Twenty20 is the vehicle to drive the change, according to John Buchanan, the Australian coach. Buchanan told the Sydney Morning Herald that the 50-over game was overdue for alterations and there were no limits to the number of innovations.

"What Twenty20 cricket will do is question why the 50-over format continues to be the way it is," Buchanan told the newspaper. "The 20-over game can accelerate that whole format change."

Buchanan said Twenty20 should be a part of the "overall package of cricket" and hoped it would produce players who were fitter and more creative. Not only did the experimental Australia A v Pakistan match fill Adelaide Oval last Thursday, but its television ratings were better than the opening two VB Series games.

One idea Buchanan suggested was to split 50-over innings with bonuses for being in front at the end of 20 or 25 overs. "Then teams have to decide whether they chase that incentive point or whether they're more interested in chasing the win at the end," he said. "I'm sure lots of other people have got lots of other ideas. The ODI game does need the ICC to rethink it's format."

Bob Woolmer, the Pakistan coach who played for England in Australia's first World Series Cup, said he would not be surprised if the VB Series was headed for a revamp. "I'm sure they're thinking of a change of format because it is now 27 years," Woolmer told the Courier-Mail. "It's not necessarily outlived its popularity, but it needs to be looked at in terms of changing how it's done. I don't know how quickly Cricket Australia and the television people will come up with an answer."

The dwindling popularity of the neutral teams in the series has been shown by Channel 9's decision to make the three Pakistan-West Indies matches day games. All of Australia's remaining fixtures and the finals will be under lights. West Indies play Pakistan at the Gabba tomorrow.