It should be game over
IT pains me to say this as a cricket purist, former player, coach and now broadcaster of the game I have loved my whole life.
But, seriously, does anyone actually care that this Australia-New Zealand ODI series is happening?
In some of the most bizarre scheduling I’ve ever witnessed, it is hard to fathom that three one-day internationals are being played now for the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy after what has been a very long summer — and winter, for that matter.
The two games at the SCG and the final game in Hobart on Friday, which incidentally clashes with the start of the proposed AFL season, will now be played in front of nobody.
The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in regulations that will deny fans being able to attend the games.
But if they had not been enforced, I wonder how many were actually going to attend anyway.
I hope I’m wrong, but I would suggest it would have been bugger all. No one cares.
The majority of the sporting public have shifted their focus to the AFL season now.
How many people actually know or care that our Australian one-day outfit just lost a series in South Africa?
Yes, we played three onedayers against a relatively unknown, new-looking South African team and got wiped. We lost the series 0-3.
Marnus Labuschagne scored a century in the final match and I’m betting most didn’t even know the game took place.
Mitch Marsh continued to be selected for Australia and delivered little with bat or ball.
D’Arcy Short was a late inclusion in the team and batted at No. 7 in the first game.
None of our bowlers did anything special. We sneaked in and out of the country relatively quietly, given it was our first visit since “Sandpapergate”. It was uneventful and, to be fair, uninspiring. It happened, but it was like it didn’t.
Our one-day team has lost form dramatically. Or has it lost interest? Or is it a bit of both?
What has gone wrong since the World Cup in England in the winter?
I believe our team, just like the fans, are seriously burnt out and totally flat after a massive regeneration of the team since Cape Town.
Many players have given their heart and souls to redeem much-needed lost respect and have now hit a real flat spot. In fact, they have fallen down a sinkhole.
It is totally understandable, but still not acceptable.
Can we climb out of the quicksand and produce something special against the Kiwis, who incidentally have been very good in this format recently?
In fact, the men from across the ditch have always punched above their weight.
They were cruelly denied World Cup glory in the most agonising circumstances at Lord’s in the winter. Then, after much anticipation of an exciting Test series this summer, we embarrassed them. They will be keen to make amends in this ODI series.
Meaningless one-day games have gone to the back of the queue as far as public interest in cricket.
This format of the game has lost purpose and the market has been saturated.
Too much of a good thing has become mundane and tired. It’s really only the World Cup every four years that creates any interest now.
The advent of the shortest format, Twenty20, has captured the imagination of a new audience, albeit those numbers are also a concern at venues and viewing on television.
The Big Bash got too greedy and has cooked the golden goose, ignoring the warning signs for the past few years.
It needs serious attention and alterations immediately or it too will become irrelevant.
Scheduling is not easy. I have empathy for those trying to piece together an international schedule.
It’s a logistic nightmare, laced with political undertones everywhere.
Trying to fit matches in all around the world is impractical and keeping everyone happy is near impossible.
This series is just wrong for so many reasons.
The MCG last weekend was packed with 86,000 people supporting our amazing World Cup champion women’s team.
That was a fitting way to draw a curtain on a long summer of cricket. The women did us proud and left a nice feeling in the guts after what otherwise was a disjointed summer.
It was the perfect ending. Note: Darren Berry’s column was written before the result was known from last night’s match at the SCG