Upon his return to cricket, Paul Marsh has been urged not to let Australian cricket ‘die on the vine’

New players association boss, Paul Marsh has been urged to not let Australian cricket ‘die on the vine’ as he re-enters the sport in a volatile era where India have seized control of the game.

Paul Marsh has been urged not to let Australia’s cricket system “die on the vine’’ as he returns as boss of its players association.

After more than a decade in charge of the AFL players association Marsh, son of legendary Test wicketkeeper Rod, has decided to return to the job he held before jumping into the football scene.

Marsh said he made the decision with a “heavy heart’’ to replace Todd Greenberg who has become chief executive of Cricket Australia.

Marsh re-enters the fray in a volatile era where India have seized control of the game and international cricket is fighting to stay relevant amid the stunning global growth of franchise cricket.

Leading player agent and powerbroker Neil Maxwell believes the road forward for Australia and Marsh is to embrace the change rather than fight it.

Paul Marsh returns to cricket. Picture: Sarah Matray

“I’ve said this for 15 years but cricket is the only sport which survives on country versus country revenue maybe apart from rugby union and look where that is,’’ Maxwell said.

“Everyone else survives off league based domestic competitions. Cricket is transitioning that way. We keep fighting it but we need to have a plan to get ahead of it.

“You either have to support the current system or adapt to the new one. The current system will die on the vine in time …

“Seventy per cent of Australia’s revenue comes from Test cricket but if we are not careful we will be (in it) alone.

“Cricket is globalising and doing that quickly. Cricket hadn’t done much for 60 years and in five years it has moved at a rapid pace … Indian Premier League clubs and other investors are taking global footholds.

“The biggest threat are the provinces. That is why I cannot understand the English Cricket Board pumping money into the counties. They are fighting a losing battle there.

“There are going to be global clubs and organisations that transcend boundaries yet we still play this game based on boundaries.’’

Originally published as Upon his return to cricket, Paul Marsh has been urged not to let Australian cricket ‘die on the vine’