Marsh joins chorus for fewer one-dayers

Paul Marsh, the chief executive of the Australian Cricketers' Association, has joined in the chorus asking for fewer one-day internationals. His targets, in particular, are the warm-up tournaments preceding the Champions Trophy.

Though he gave his consent to this year's triangular tournament - also featuring hosts India and Pakistan - prior to the Champions Trophy, he warned that such events should not become the norm. "Coming off a good break, we probably need something heading into the Champions Trophy this year," Marsh was quoted as saying in The Age, an Australian daily. "But we would question the value of a regular series before the ICC Champions Trophy.

"We see a series such as this as fitting under that 'meaningless tournament' bracket. Going into the future, why would they need to be playing it other than as a money-making exercise?"

Adam Gilchrist had recently voiced his concern over the schedule for next season, saying that the Ashes should take precedence over everything else. Marsh agreed: "It is a shame that players have to miss games for Australia because the schedule is too heavy," he said. "But if they are saying they need to be missing these games leading into the Ashes, then Cricket Australia needs to listen to them. If you ask any player, the Ashes would be a higher priority than the Champions Trophy and those other events."

Gilchrist had suggested that some senior players be rested for the Champions Trophy, but Marsh believed that wasn't a long-term solution. "We don't believe that resting players is the long-term answer here," he said. "We believe in reducing the number of games and putting adequate space between games."