LYON CHARGED BY ICC AS AUSSA RELATIONS SOUR
Australia spinner Nathan Lyon has been charged by the International Cricket Council (ICC) with conduct contrary to the spirit of the game as the fall-out from a highly-charged first Test against South Africa continued on Monday. Lyon was charged with a level one breach, which could lead to a fine of up to 50 percent of his match fee and two demerit points. Four points would result in missing a Test. The spinner whipped off the bails to run out AB de Villiers on Sunday. De Villiers made a despairing dive but was well short and Lyon leapt over him in celebration, dropping the ball on his opponent before joining his team mates in a jig of joy. Cricket Australia said Lyon had been in touch with De Villiers to say there was no malice intended and apologised. For the third time in eight months, another series involving India and Sri Lanka is upon us. While the mere thought of that is daunting, the fact that this time there’s another team (Bangladesh) involved might save the day for cricket. Personally, I prefer a multi-nation event over a bilateral series, for the importance of bilateral ODI T20 series has diluted in the last 10 years.
Last month, India won their first-ever ODI series in South Africa, but the only relevant bits left in memory are the score line, Virat Kohli’s batting and the two wrist spinners wreaking havoc. Wasn’t there more to a six-match series than these? On the contrary, the Test series that happened in January has left a lasting imprint.
CRAMPED SCHEDULES
To stay fresh for the two-month tour of South Africa, India rested key players for the T20 leg of Sri Lanka’s tour of India. South Africa did the same thing against India to keep their core fresh and ready for the Test series against Australia. After a long and gruelling tour of South Africa, India have, once again, selected a second string team for the tri-series
As a former player, I can understand the possibility of burnout and the need to stay fresh, and therefore the decision to rest the overburdened cricketers would make perfect sense. But now as a broadcaster and cricket fan I feel shortchanged if the series involving India doesn’t have Kohli, Jasprit Bumrah and Bhuvneshwar Kumar.
For a cricket fan, the whole purpose of a country versus country contest is to pit the best against each other but the current scheduling has made it untenable.
The broadcaster, on the other hand, pays top dollar to buy the rights in the hope of exploiting the commercial potential, which takes a massive hit in the absence of key figures. Thankfully, this issue wasn’t lost on cricket’s world body and the new structure of bilateral cricket league couldn’t have come sooner. With something riding on every game and enough breathing space between two series, the world would see only the best competing against each other.
CHANCE TO IMPRESS
India has rested six players for the tri-series, which will give opportunities to the selected players to stake a claim and the selectors to iron out the remaining
DURBAN: FOR A FAN, THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF A COUNTRY VERSUS COUNTRY CONTEST IS TO PIT THE BEST AGAINST EACH OTHER BUT THE SCHEDULING HAS MADE IT UNTENABLE.