Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie says BBL goes for too long, proposes double-headers, back-to-back games
Adelaide Strikers title-winning coach Jason Gillespie wants next season’s Big Bash League shortened, proposing teams play double-headers to cut at least a week off the length of the competition.
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Adelaide Strikers title-winning coach Jason Gillespie wants next season’s Big Bash League shortened, proposing teams play double-headers to cut at least a week off the length of the competition.
Admitting BBL09 went for too long – from December 17 to February 8 – Gillespie said next season’s fixture should still involve all eight teams playing each other twice on a home-and-away basis (14 minor round games each) but that matches could be packed into a tighter program.
“I like the concept and idea of playing each team home and away, I think that’s a fair way to go, but I think the comp goes a week too long,’’ said Gillespie, who led the Strikers to the BBL07 title and is one of the favourites to replace dumped Jamie Siddons as Redbacks coach.
“I’ve long said that I don’t mind the number of games being played but having spent a lot of time in the UK and County cricket, where you play a lot of back to back games, I can’t see why players and teams every now and again can’t play on consecutive days.
“If you want to minimise the travel and maximise the cricket, a stand-alone city-based side like Adelaide could, in theory, go and play in Melbourne and Sydney on a weekend and play against both teams that play in those cities.
“And also play double-headers at one venue. I wouldn’t be opposed to the Adelaide Strikers playing two games in one day at Adelaide Oval.
“It minimises the tournament going into February and a lot of feedback I’ve heard from people is that they would like the BBL to ideally finish in the last week of January.’’
“Dizzy’’ Gillespie said players would not object to playing back-to-back games.
“We’ve got a squad of 18, so I don’t see a problem with that,’’ he told ABC Grandstand.
“The reality is that it’s 20 overs a side, the players play 50-over cricket, four-day cricket, so I think back-to-back T20s, which is essentially 40 overs in the field and 40 overs batting, players do that regularly.
“Yes, T20 is very high intensity, I accept that, but I think we’ve got to give our players a bit of credit, they are fit, strong men so I don’t see why that is not a conversation to be had.
“My only thing would be if you went away to play back-to-back games, you might want to take an extra player, maybe have 14, to give you options to rotate or rest someone or if you have a player with an injury.
“If you could take 14 then that would work quite nicely and allow you some flexibility.’’
Originally published as Adelaide Strikers coach Jason Gillespie says BBL goes for too long, proposes double-headers, back-to-back games