Australia vs India: Channel 7 upset with day-night clash

Cricket Australia is facing further complaints from its broadcast partner over the scheduling of a tour match featuring India in the first week of the BBL

Virat Kohli’s Indians play a day night tour game at the SCG that clashes with the first week of the BBL Picture: Getty Images

The prospect of Virat Kohli’s India playing an Australia A side in a day-night warm up game at the SCG next month has delighted fans and one broadcaster but given another more cause for complaint in the middle of a bitter court dispute.

The match which will potentially feature the biggest name in the game clashes directly with the first week of the Big Bash League.

Cricket Australia plans to start the BBL on December 10 and the three-day game against India begins December 11.

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Fox and Seven share the rights to the BBL, but Fox also plans to broadcast the tour match on an alternative channel as well as the domestic T20 tournament.

Australia is unlikely to play any of its big names in the tour game even though it would be the only opportunity for Steve Smith, David Warner, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood to play anything other than limited-overs cricket in preparation for the first Test.

The quartet has been in India for the Indian Premier League and will come straight out of quarantine and into the limited-overs series. The four will take the opportunity to spend some time at home for the first time since August.

Kohli and most of the Indians are in the same camp and may skip the warm up, but the chance of the star Indian batsman playing has upset Seven which is in mediation with Cricket Australia over the broadcast deal and argues the BBL as a product is in decline and facing further set backs this summer.

Seven argues the match is a distraction at the start of the BBL which has a week of clear air before a brief hiatus for the first Test.

The good news for BBL fans is it looks set to be a roadshow this year which begins in Tasmania and moves to the mainland after the first Test so hometown fans can see their franchises.

Cricket Australia held its Annual General Meeting on Thursday to approve the addition of an extra director.

The organisation’s finances were in better shape than some predictions early in the pandemic but claims it is facing a $120m hit because of revenue losses and increased costs associated with the event.

“As all would be aware, we are facing some significant financial exposures in FY21 as a result of the impacts of COVID,“ head of the CA risk committee Paul Green told theAGM.

“These fall into three categories: impacts to match-day revenues associated with crowd restrictions and some reduced content; impact to other revenue streams arising from the broader economic environment; and additional biosecurity costs associated with hosting the season in a COVID environment.

“Based on current estimates, these factors could have a financial cost to cricket of up to $120 million in FY21.”

Additional biosecurity costs are estimated to cost cricket $28m.

Both chairman Earl Eddings and interim chief executive Nick Hockley refused to be drawn into a public slanging match with Seven in the past few days.

“We have got a perfectly good contract with our television partners right now and we are working through all of our arrangements with various issues,“ Hockley said.

“We have been very consistent that we will do everything we possibly can to deliver a full and compelling summer of cricket. In terms of production and promotion, both domestic partners have been really supportive and we will continue to have discussions as we have been through the course of the winter.”

Cricket has been through a tumultuous six months with former chief executive Kevin Roberts warning the organisation was facing a catastrophic financial position at the end of the financial year if big savings were not made.

The organisation reported a $45.9m deficit in its annual report which was in line with earlier expectations.

The annual report showed a cash balance at June 30 of $35 million and investments including cash of $38 million. The $73 million in total reserves is down from the $116 million posted in mid-2019.

“It is difficult to reliably estimate with any degree of certainty the potential impact of the pandemic after the reporting date on the company, its operations, its future results and financial position,” the report said.