Players’ priorities for T20 put pressure on tradition

David Warner added his name to the list of greats who have either chosen or had an SCG farewell forced upon them but he leaves the game at a crossroad.

David Warner added his name to the list of greats who have either chosen or had an SCG farewell forced upon them. Like Steve Waugh, Glenn McGrath, Justin Langer, Shane Warne and a long, long list of players over the years who have played their final game at Sydney’s grand old ground.

Mark Taylor chose his home ground to end it all in 1999.

Greg Chappell, Rod Marsh and Dennis Lillee packed their kits and never returned to the highest form of the game after the Sydney Test of the 1983-84 summer.

The SCG is a picture perfect place to pull up stumps. Still a cricket ground, still seeped in history, still a marquee event on the Australian cricket calendar, it is a destination event for players and spectators.

Warner was waved off by old friends from Matraville, Sydney fans who love their local boy and even former PM John Howard and wife Jeanette, who revealed themselves to not only be admirer’s of his cricket but also personal friends.

Retirements give us time to pause and consider where we are, measure the state of the game against the tenure of the retiree. Where were we, where are we?

There were many in the game that thought that Warner would not play Test cricket, that he would be the new age player who focused on T20 and ODI cricket, but they underestimated him.

There are many in the game now, however, warning that as Warner exits, Test cricket is in poor health and its future clouded.

We are closer to a time where the next Warner may opt for the freelance option the current one delayed until the end of his career.

Warner will, like Shane Watson, farm a rich field of franchise cricket for the next few years and will not sign another Cricket Australia contract.

The Australian waited until his tank was almost dry but others are taking the option earlier. Quinton de Kock did an interview on television during the Test saying he had retired from South African cricket because he was burned out. He has just turned 31.

Most foresaw the change would be driven by individuals and to this point that has been the case. The West Indies in particular suffered from players opting to take franchise dollars rather than represent their country, but it was not the West Indies alone.

New Zealand’s Trent Boult was released from his central contract in 2022 by a board that realised there was little to be gained from standing in his way. Better that than the “our way or the highway’’ approach taken by, for example, Afghanistan, which is punishing three players for attempting similar.

The situation led to the Melbourne Renegades to not name Mujeeb Ur Rahman in their most recent BBL team and the player blocked from playing franchise cricket for two years.

“The insistence on not signing the central contract for these players was their involvement in commercial leagues, prioritising their personal interests over playing for Afghanistan, which is regarded as a national responsibility,” the board said.

Mujeeb Ur Rahman has been sidelined by the Renegades Picture: Getty Images

And when the Taliban tell you it’s your national responsibility …

The greatest concern, however, is not the stupidity of the Afghanistan board or the decision making of individual players, it is the contempt for the game demonstrated by the South African board, which is forcing its best players to choose franchise cricket over Test duties.

Only two of the players involved in the series against India will make the trip to New Zealand. The captain has never played a Test before. Steve Waugh called it a “defining moment in the death of Test cricket”.

There are only seven capped players in the 14-man squad named for the series against New Zealand.

The West Indies find themselves in a similar situation, arriving here for a two-Test series starting in Adelaide this month with a side feeling the absence of players who have chosen franchise cricket over the Test game.

Cricket South Africa is doing its best to excuse its actions. “CSA has the utmost respect for the Test format as the pinnacle of the game we love,” it said in response to the criticism.

“The dates for this tour were set when the Future Tours Program (FTP) for 2023/2027 was finalised in 2022. The window for the SA20 had not been determined at that stage. Once it became apparent that there would be a clash, we made every effort to find another mutually suitable timeslot for this series in consultation with New Zealand Cricket.

“Regrettably the constraints imposed by the global cricket calendar rendered this impossible, as the games must be played before April 2025 as part of the World Test Championship.

“Our schedule for the remainder of the FTP has been managed to ensure that there will not be any further clashes between our bilateral commitments and the SA20.”

Cricket Australia is marking out its long run on the issue. Driven by chair Mike Baird and chief executive Nick Hockley, CA is determined the game address the threat to Test cricket.

The move to two-Test series in the current FTP is one area they are concerned with, but also they see a need for the richer nations to incentivise the playing of Tests among those not so

“The role of T20 to bring kids and new people into the game can’t be underestimated,” Hockley said on SEN this week.

“I think their T20 comp compared to our Big Bash, we’re in our 13th and they’re in their second, theirs (South Africa’s) is quite a short comp. I think for me the belief that the two can coexist and if anything, this was really sub-optimal scheduling.

“In Australia, it’s very clear that throughout the whole period of the Big Bash we’ve always prioritised international cricket and Test cricket and we’ll always do that. This has shone a light and we’ll be working with the ICC and scheduling groups to make sure that those types of clashes don’t manifest. And really championing the fact that people need to be prioritising international cricket.’’

Hockley recognised that it was more nuanced with the West Indies sending such an undermanned squad.

“I think the West Indies situation has been a bit longer in the making,” he said.

“If we step back, you speak to the vast majority of players, they all want to play Test cricket. That’s where people really hone their craft. Mitch Starc is the prime example, he’s commanded the highest IPL figure having prioritised Test cricket over everything else.

“It’s incumbent on all of us to work together to get the scheduling right and then to be supporting the other countries.

“I think the World Test Championship has been a really positive development. Teams do care about their position on the WTC table and their points.”

Australia is set to play two Tests against the Windies, but Hockley says this has to change.

“The preference is minimum three Test series,” he said. “We’ll keep championing that. I do think there is work to be done on the FTP going forward. I think it’s really cementing the World Test Championship. Really advocating for three-Test series as a minimum and as best as we can, making sure that domestic T20 competitions we minimise the overlap for those countries. It is a source of important revenue.

“I think what we’re seeing over the past few years in Australia, and this summer and in the UK summer, Test cricket is really thriving, in certain countries. In that sense, it is a bit of a two-speed economy. The challenge is that we continue to support those countries that are struggling a little bit more in terms of Test cricket.

“But the other piece, we saw the Netherlands doing really well in a 10-team World Cup. It’s supporting all cricketing countries and giving them further opportunities more broadly. Test cricket is the ultimate and you want to see as many countries challenging as possible.

“All member nations have a collective responsibility. It’s about context, leading by example. It is continuing to prioritise the WTC and realising it is a balancing act. We should be celebrating that Test cricket is in rude health. I’m thrilled with the crowds, the fans that have come in, the television audiences.’’