No fear of burnout in overload of games
BURNOUT has been dismissed as a concern by Australia’s workaholic cricketers with the end of the home summer only the precursor to a 2019 schedule which looms as one of the busiest ever.
The Big Bash finished on Sunday after a season even winning coach Andrew Mcdonald said was too long.
But the second half of the Sheffield Shield season doesn’t conclude until the final on March 28 as the cricket calendar stretches into a seventh month. And there’s no end in sight for Australia’s international players who could feature in as many as 43 matches between now and the final Ashes Test in September.
That includes two limitedovers tours, the first to India which six players who featured in the BBL final flew out for 12 hours after the game finished.
Then there’s games against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, World Cup warm-up games, the World Cup, Australia A games in England, then the five-test Ashes series and tour games.
Some players, including Australia’s one-day player of the year Marcus Stoinis, will also go to the Indian Premier League before the World Cup to add to an already hectic schedule.
Stoinis was confident burnout wouldn’t be an issue.
“I hope not. I’m enjoying myself and I’m expressing myself and the energy is there,” he said.
“That’s part and parcel of being a cricketer these days. You play all year and play around the world, and hopefully everything goes OK.”
Stoinis said the lure of a maiden Test appearance in the Ashes was enough to keep his spirits up.