Hitting a Six for Non-Test Countries for Developement - A Proposal

In the early 1990s, the sport of Rugby League opened its Australian season with an international Sevens tournament, pitting the sport's newer countries against Australian club teams.

The three day tournament enjoyed reasonably good attendances, as supporters were attracted by the chance to see their local stars at the one venue and the developing nations in action.

Crowds didn't care that it wasn't the real thing or that the developing nations rarely won - the international flavour and the underdog factor compensated for any perceived lack of authenticity.

It is a concept I believe the International Cricket Council and the Australian Cricket Board would do well to copy.

With the Hong Kong Sixes now seemingly dead and the Australian cricket season without a traditional opening event, a vacancy exists for such a tournament.

Played over the Labor Day long weekend, the format would see the six Australian states, the Canberra Comets, the Northern Territory, Australian Country and Australian Aborigines teams compete with non-Test countries.

First preference for invitations to non-Test countries would be neighbouring nations such as Papua-New Guinea and Fiji. Second preference would be given to those countries whose national team has a high indigenous content. This may mean a country like Canada might lose out to say, Nepal or even Japan.

With the amount of international cricket played now, it would be futile trying to systematically include the eight other Test countries. With due respect, the Hong Kong Sixes rarely included full strength squads. However, given its proximity New Zealand could be included if it was not competing in a Test or one-day series.

It would be essential that the State teams field their best players, and this would probably be the biggest hurdle, as the Australian team is often touring in October. It is doubtful Australian crowds would support a tournament devoid of national players. (The Australian team has been touring overseas three of the past four Octobers). It may be necessary to schedule the tournament during the Australian season proper - and that may cause problems. If it was part of the actual season the two touring teams would also be included.

The benefits of such an event would be:

* Each year players from non-Test countries would have an opportunity to play against Test stars without the humiliation of a full one-day or first class match * Would also give the players the unforgettable experience of playing before a crowd on a famous arena such as the SCG and players from those countries an annual event to look forward to * Will reinforce recognition of the fact that cricket is played outside the nine Test countries and increase awareness of indigenous involvement in those countries - that's why Japan is not such an absurd choice - it has a totally home grown national team * Although the format is basically a slog, it will give the non-Test countries another gauge of standard, apart from the four yearly World Cup qualification and continental tournaments

This is a basic proposal and there are many logistical factors that would need to be sorted out.

Yes, this looks and smells like an exhibition tournament and that is exactly what it is. Let's not be coy about the fact that the majority of the crowd would be there for their beer and ask a week later who won, only the players and supporters of the winning team would remember.

Ask players and officials from the non-Test countries five years on whether the annual tournament would have a positive long term effect to cricket in their countries, the answer would almost certainly be yes. Before it's happened, Papua-New Guinea Cricket Board of Control secretary, Wayne Satchell, agrees.

While approaching Hong Kong Cricket Association General Manager, Mr. Mark Burns, for assistance with this fortnight's 'Totally Home Grown' (please read Louis Chan's excellent answers to the questionairre), I asked Mark for background information on the Sixes ociation's past role in the Hong Kong Sixes.

The HK International Sixes ceased to take place after both title sponsors pulled out after the 1997 event due to the Asian financial crisis. Subsequently, the HKCA with its appointed marketing partners (The Asia Sport Group and API Prism) and Martin Crowe, attempted to stage a Super Max 8's event in the same window as had previously been filled by the sponsorless Sixes. This reflected the trend of world cricket to adopting the Super Max 8's format for events and development.

Due to the prevailing market conditions for sponsorship in Hong Kong it proved impossible to source sponsors for the Super Max 8's event.

The staging of international cricket events in Hong Kong is a primary goal of the HKCA, and would benefit the image and development of the sport here, supporting the successful grassroots development programs already in place.

HKCA is always interested to look at staging any format of international cricket event with a view to staging it in Hong Kong. Proposed events (sixes, eights, ODI's etc) will be assessed on their suitability, marketability and viability for Hong Kong.

On the point of accuracy the Hong Kong Sixes almost always attracted the best players: Crowe, Waugh's, Slater, Akram, Miandad, Younis, Viv Richards, Lara, Richie Richardson, Rhodes, Cronje, Cullinan, Gooch, Smith, De Freitas, Hollioake's, Tendulkar, Azza, Jayasuriya etc all played in the HK Sixes.

As Hong Kong developed the Sixes format into a successful international style event HKCA would be interested to field a team in an event of the nature you propose in your article. As our development program is one of the most advanced in Associate cricket and our representative teams are most competitive we should fit in nicely and will certainly provide some upsets.