Longer Big Bash triggers backlash as competition seeks overseas stars
Cricket Australia has taken a punt on how the COVID-19 crisis will pan out, dropping a longer Big Bash fixture that left its biggest star Chris Lynn miffed. Here’s how it plans to get internationals into the 2020-21 competition.
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The Big Bash will push ahead with plans for an international player draft despite the fact that importing a sprinkling of stars will be more complex than landing the entire Indian cricket team.
As the AFL and NRL competitions remain uncertain what they are doing next week, Cricket Australia took a stab at crystal balling four months down the track when it handed down its men’s and women’s Big Bash schedules for the new summer.
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Deep down everyone knew that one random COVID-induced sneeze in the wrong direction could send them back to the drawing board so this schedule is very much drafted in pencil rather than indelible ink.
The draw defied expectations because at a time when people were calling for a shorter season it has been expanded in length.
More prime-time games will allow broadcasters to maximise returns and polish up the product but it triggered a thumbs down from Brisbane Heat captain Chris Lynn who claimed “the golden goose has been cooked again’’ in a tweet deleted soon after it was posted.
While the international player draft was not officially announced it is clear that given the competition is again not able to get access to Australia’s big name Test stars it must look overseas for more promotional firepower lacking in recent summers.
“Innovation and creativity are hallmarks of the BBL so we have some announcements which are going to be really exciting,’’ Big Bash boss Alistair Dobson said.
“The prospect of bringing international players are really important components of our Big Bash leagues.
“Flexibility is going to be the key word. If clubs are bringing overseas players in on a short-term basis it will be more challenging than it has been in the past.”
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Dobson agreed that landing overseas players from a variety of different countries with different COVID-19 scenarios would be more complex than Australia’s prime task for the summer – making sure the Indian team lands for a four Test series in December.
“As with all sporting competitions around the world we must remain vigilant and agile in responding to the COVID-19 situation.
“While we know the challenging, fast-changing coronavirus pandemic could ultimately mean revisions to the schedule, there is nonetheless a lot to like about the way both competitions are shaping up.’’