Solve BBL riddle with our international stars

ONE of the Big Bash’s most decorated campaigners says administrators must aspire to get Australia’s international superstars playing more of the tournament.

Dan Christian has signed a new deal with the Sydney Sixers for this season, and not only is it his fourth BBL club, but the 37-year-old knows the landscape of Twenty20 cricket better than most as a veteran of the pre-eminent IPL.

For all the big-name stars like Pat Cummins and David Warner who descend on the IPL each year, the competition’s lifeblood is the fact that all Indian players are available for every game.

When the BBL was formed nine years ago one of its ambitions was to find a window for its national players, and now the heat is being turned up by broadcasters Channel 7 and Fox Sports to find a solution to the riddle which could be set to cost the game millions.

Inevitable international scheduling clashes has made it an impossible dream, but an independent report commissioned by CA into the BBL earlier this year made the key recommendation that the Bash be given its own free air every summer following the New Year’s Test in Sydney, which would allow Australia’s biggest names to play the majority of the season.

Christian says it’s the final frontier for the BBL.

“In terms of the standard of the BBL, the only thing it lacks I think is having the Australian players available all the time,” Christian said.

“The IPL get all the Indian players playing and get four internationals per team. You’re never going to be able to have something like that unfortunately, but in terms of the standard of cricket and the product itself, that’d be something we could aspire to, to get there one day I think.”

It’s understood Fox Sports boss Patrick Delany had a constructive meeting with CA interim chief Nick Hockley on Friday. It would appear as though Cricket Australia may be prepared to start negotiating new arrangements with its broadcasters in response to the COVID-19 drama.

CA’s push for a travelling BBL roadshow has reportedly concerned Fox, but it’s understood there are certain frameworks that have been taken out of CA’s hands and have been unavoidable at the direction of government.

There is confidence that CA and Fox can work towards a mutual compromise, although greater doubt hangs over whether the game will be able to strike a new deal with Seven.

England cricketer David Willey contracted COVID-19 from his wife this week and passed it on to two of his Yorkshire teammates – highlighting the risks of not playing the BBL in a bubble.

“If you want the comp to go ahead, be as careful as you can,” Christian said.