South Africa’s decision to send a second-string side for Tests in New Zealand was a “wake-up call”, said Cricket Australia chief Nick Hockley, adding that CA will continue to advocate for series containing a minimum of three matches as part of the World Test Championship (WTC).
South Africa faced heavy backlash from current and former players after it named a shadow side for the two-Test tour of New Zealand reserving their top players for the the second season of the SA20 — launched by CSA and IPL investors last year.
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While the two Tests in New Zealand are scheduled from February 4 to 17, the SA20 is slated to start from January 10.
“That’s been a wake-up call for everyone,” Hockley told SEN.
“The role of T20 (in) bringing new kids and new people into the game can’t be underestimated. The belief is that the two can coexist. This was suboptimal scheduling,” said Hockley.
“I think we in Australia – it’s very clear that throughout the whole period the Big Bash has been around – have always prioritised international cricket.
“But this has shone a light. And certainly, we’ll be working with the ICC through scheduling groups to make sure those types of clashes don’t manifest and really champion the fact that people need to be prioritising international cricket.”
There is a divide when it comes to allotting Test matches as part of a series with big teams such as India, England and Australia getting 3 to 5 Tests, while the rest competing mostly in two Test series as part of WTC.
According to the WTC regulations, a series should contain a minimum of two Tests.
“The preference is a minimum three-Test series. So, we’ll keep advocating and championing that,” Hockley said.
“I do think there is work to be done on the FTP (Future Tours Programme) going forward, and it’s really [about] cementing the World Test Championship, [and] really advocating for three-Test series as an absolute minimum.
“And then as best as we possibly can, making sure that [when it comes to] domestic T20 competitions, we minimise the overlap for those countries where it is an important source of revenue, so that every country is prioritising international – and particularly Test – cricket.”
The rise of franchise-based T20 leagues has affected the scheduling of international cricket with players often opting for the shortest format.
Talking about the financial side of things, Hockley said: “The challenge is the economics,” he said. “There are parts of the world where the revenue from the T20, ODI and a Test are the same, yet the costs of putting on a Test are significantly higher.
“What we’ve seen over the last few years in Australia, what we’re seeing this summer, and what we saw in the UK over the English summer is that Test cricket is really thriving in certain countries.
“And 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.”
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