Steve Smith just wants to get back to cricket while India could play T20 series even without World Cup
Steve Smith would rather represent Australia at the T20 World Cup, but if that option fell through, then a rescheduled IPL would be a pretty decent consolation prize.
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Steve Smith said he would be open to a limited overs tour of England in September and an IPL, depending on key decisions about the international schedule that are yet to be made.
“I think when you’re playing for your country at a World Cup, that’s the pinnacle for one-day or T20 cricket, so of course I’d prefer to play in that,” Smith said.
“But if that doesn’t happen and the IPL’s there, and they postpone it, then so be it. IPL’s also a terrific tournament as a domestic tournament. So that’s out of everyone’s control at the moment, players are just doing what we’re told and going where we need to go and playing whatever’s on at that stage.
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“I guess there’ll be some more news about it soon, probably some decisions to be made soon, so I’m sure we’ll all find out and know where we’re going to be.”
Meanwhile, the Indian super summer is looking bigger and better every day, with Virat Kohli open to playing three lucrative Twenty20 internationals against Australia even if the World Cup is canned.
It was presumed that the two T20 series Australia had locked in against West Indies and India in October as their direct warm-ups for the World Cup would simply fall off the schedule once the ICC tournament is moved.
However, News Corp Australia understands there are plans to try and revive the Indian T20s at another point in the summer, possibly in the lead-up to the Test series in mid-November, although that time slot would be dependent on dates for a proposed IPL in October-November.
The push to play the T20s confirms that the BCCI is committed to trying to get the rivers of gold flowing back through international cricket again post COVID-19.
There have also been talks about scheduling an extra two one-dayers against India in January, games which would be worth upwards of $60 million each. But even if that doesn’t happen and the ODI series stays at three matches, a salvaged T20 series would still represent a massive cash injection that at one stage looked like being in jeopardy. The four-Test series itself is estimated at being worth $300 million.
After Cricket Australia controversially stood down 80 per cent of staff and proposed major cuts across the game at the start of the COVID crisis, this week shapes as a massive one for the game as administrators prepare to hand over its annual forecast to the players association on Wednesday.
It’s a document which will detail CA’s financial projections for the summer and in turn, what the players will be paid.
Chief executive Kevin Roberts has already suggested that Australia could suffer an $80 million shortfall even if India do tour this summer, claiming that losing the T20 World Cup would cost $20 million, biosecurity arrangements $10 million and the prospect of no crowds threatening a $50 million loss.
However, the Australian Cricketers Association are of the belief that even if there are no crowds, that would only account for around 8 per cent of Australian cricket revenue.
While Cricket Australia has declared that 25 per cent reductions across the game are necessary to keep the game solvent, player sources anticipate a 10 per cent downturn on forecast revenue would be a fairer projection for a bumper Indian summer.
Eight weeks after the drastic cuts were made, the players and three State associations are yet to be convinced by Cricket Australia’s maths, although the ACA was happy to grant a three-day extension on the forecast late last week.
Roberts is caught between a rock and a hard place, given certainty over how the sporting landscape looks post COVID-19 has continued to improve since he stood down 200 staff.
Australia asks for T20 World Cup to be postponed
By Peter Lalor
Cricket Australia has asked the ICC to postpone the T20 World Cup it was scheduled to host in October-November this year.
Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings wants instead to host the event in late 2021 when a second tournament was due to be played in India.
A letter from Eddings was sent to the peak body’s Financial and Commercial Affairs Committee on Thursday calling for the prestigious tournament to be shifted because of issues relating to the pandemic.
This year’s event, which was under enormous pressure, will almost certainly be replaced by the India Premier League and Australia is bidding to host the tournament 12 months later.
Australia does not want the hosting rights for this year’s tournament to be shifted all the way back to 2022.
In the letter, leaked almost immediately to the Times of India, Eddings said, “It would be detrimental to cricket if the cancellation of the Australian event is replaced by awarding of the subsequent T20 World Cup in October-November 2022.
“Australia has thankfully managed to flatten the (COVID) curve, meaning there is greater certainty of being able to play in Australia in 2021 (which is key to maintaining member distribution). This would give India another year to resolve any COVID-related problems”.
The leak caused chaos at the ICC and Thursday’s board meeting was abandoned when members realised what had occurred.
“The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board met via teleconference today with all agenda items deferred until 10 June 2020 following a discussion, led by Chairman Shashank Manohar, around the issue of confidentiality,” the ICC said in a statement.
“A number of Board members had raised their concerns over this issue recently and felt it required immediate attention to ensure the sanctity and confidentiality of Board matters in line with the highest standards of governance.
“There was unanimous agreement to immediately initiate an independent investigation led by the ICC’s Ethics Officer and supported by global experts. The Board will be updated on this by the ICC CEO at its next meeting on 10 June 2020.
“The Board also requested the ICC management continue with their discussions with stakeholders in exploring various contingency options in light of the rapidly changing public health situation caused by the COVID-19 virus.”
The decision to investigate the leak and delay the meeting was also leaked immediately.
No fans, no WC, no certainty: CA paints bleak picture
The likely postponement of the Twenty20 World Cup will contribute to a $80-million hit to Cricket Australia’s coffers this summer, chief executive Kevin Roberts says.
Roberts concedes there is a “very high risk” of the cup, which Australia is slated to host this October and November, being stalled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Roberts says CA stands to lose $20m from not hosting the cup as per schedule, with an added $50m blow from not having crowds attend games. In addition, CA will spend around $10m on biosecurity measures to ensure international teams can play in Australia this summer.
“The likelihood of significant crowds is very slim - ordinarily that would deliver well over $50m revenue to CA,” Roberts said.
“The T20 World Cup is a big question and that’s a factor of perhaps $20m ... we have been hopeful all along that it could be staged in October-November but you would have to say there’s a very high risk about the prospect of that happening.
“And it’s likely that our biosecurity measures that we need to put in place to deliver the season will cost in the order of $10m.”
While the T20 World Cup could be rescheduled to next year, CA has released its summer schedule highlighted by four Tests against India set to deliver some $300m in broadcast rights.
The schedule has India playing at four venues - the Gabba, Adelaide Oval, the SCG and MCG - but that could yet change.
“That (schedule) assumes that state borders are open to domestic travel,” Roberts said.
“It may be that circumstances dictate that when the time comes maybe we can only use one or two venues, we really don’t know any of that yet.
“There is a lot of variables based on whether we have four venues in four states or as little as one venue in one state.
“There’s endless scenarios and possibilities ... we’re very optimistic that we will be able to stage the Indian men’s tour and the other inbound tours for the season.
“But we’re realistic enough to know they will look very different to a normal summer.
“We have been forced to effectively plan for the worst and hope for the best.”
Roberts said CA hierarchy were currently working through cost cuts to the governing body.
“We have made a commitment to significantly reduce the cost base of Cricket Australia,” he said.
“Unfortunately that means that no area of the organisation will be untouched.
“It’s premature to talk about the detail of those plans, that will come in the not too distant future.”
India riches don’t alter CA’s dire financial outlook
Kevin Roberts has flagged a multi-million dollar bio-security bill as part of his continued justification for Cricket Australia’s controversial coronavirus cuts, writes Ben Horne.
Last week the chief executive declared India was a “nine out of 10” chance of touring this summer, a statement which prompted critics to question why CA only a month ago had taken such drastic steps to stand down 80 per cent of staff and slash costs, for a worst-case scenario that had quickly evaporated.
However, Roberts hit back in a private briefing to Cricket Australia staff on Wednesday, where he claimed the saving of the $300 million Indian tour didn’t necessarily fix all the game’s financial anxieties.
An imminent cancellation or postponement of October’s World Cup in Australia appears inevitable, after Roberts said government advice remained that international travel will be the last thing to return to Australia.
Roberts said cricket also remain doubtful about accommodating large-scale crowds for international and BBL cricket this summer, and told staff that potentially chartering and quarantining India in Australia shapes as a financially taxing exercise which backed up CA’s decision to slash costs.
“There will be a lot to put in place around bio-security plans,” said Roberts.
“To make that happen (India touring) is going to cost many, many millions of dollars to put bio-security plans in place.
“So however much things improve over the coming weeks, that’s a cost cricket doesn’t ordinarily have to bear.
“… it’s been reported that with India likely to tour, there will be minimal impact on CA next season. It’s not that simple.
“… (We’re) far less confident to have any significant crowds. It’s likely some people might be able to go to venues but we won’t know that until closer to the time.
“Nothing has really changed with the advice we’ve been provided. The last thing that will return is international travel, second last will be mass gatherings.
“It’s fantastic the prospect of India (touring), but (we) don’t want anyone to think we’re … not exposed to other economic risk.”
Roberts maintains that CA has already taken a financial hit, pointing to the cancellation of ODIs against New Zealand in March and debtors not paying their bills or being forced to delay.
“The pain to date might not be the same as other organisations,” Roberts said.
“But it’s there and it’s real.”
It’s understood some state associations have been spooked by CA telling them that if they didn’t make the cuts it has, then it might end up trading insolvent.
Originally published as Steve Smith just wants to get back to cricket while India could play T20 series even without World Cup