Leading cricket coach predicts Baz Ball to infiltrate the domestic game this summer

‘Baz Ball’ may not have won the Ashes back for England, but it is set to become a permanent part of our domestic cricket scene according to one leading coach.

The hottest show in cricket is coming to a sparsely populated ground near you.

Australian fans have been warned that Baz Ball is set to infiltrate the Sheffield Shield competition this summer following the most enthralling Ashes series in two decades.

Although Australia’s tried and true style was ultimately good enough to retain the urn, Shield-winning coach Adam Voges has predicted England’s provocative approach could inspire local teams to throw caution to the wind and sign-up to the cult of Baz Ball.

“You could see there were two really clear and different game styles from both the teams and we ended up with a 2-all draw. That’s not to say that one’s better than the other. Does it then filter down to domestic cricket? There’s every chance and I think it will,” Voges told the Willow Talk Cricket Podcast.

Sheffield Shield fans should be in for some attacking cricket this summer. Picture: Evan Morgan

“We’ve seen it already in the County game over there (in England) that the run rates are a lot higher and no doubt everyone in Australia, or who’s involved in Australian cricket, has been glued to their TVs during that Ashes series.

“I think we’d be remiss to think that it’s not going to come into domestic cricket in Australia in some form.”

It’s unlikely the Australian Test team will be caving in and playing Baz Ball any time soon, given their brand of more traditional cricket was good enough to win the first two Tests of the Ashes and put them in a position to win the third and fifth Tests as well.

But Western Australia coach Voges said Baz Ball is not something Australian cricket should be afraid of – even if the name might be a little galling so soon after the Ashes.

Baz Ball holds no fears for Pat Cummins and the Australian team. Picture: Getty Images

“To define Baz Ball, it’s just ultra-positive cricket, isn’t it? It’s looking to put pressure back on the opposition to an extent that we haven’t seen before in the longer form of the game,” Voges told Willow Talk.

“But I think naturally, with the evolution of T20 cricket and guys playing more and more of it, I think we’ve seen small changes in the way the longer form has been played, but the England team has just accelerated that in the way they’ve gone about it.

“Is it sustainable? I guess time will tell.

“ … It’s a mentality switch as much as anything. It’s that ability to play a bit more high-risk cricket knowing that you’ve got more time but equally fast forwarding and pushing the game forward so that we are seeing more results in four-day cricket.

“ … We’ve got to be prepared if other teams are coming at us with it as well.”