CRICKET CLOSES IN ON OLYMPICS
EOIN Morgan believes the rise of Twenty20 will result in cricket’s first £ 5million player — and the format is crucial to the future of the English game.
Despite concerns that plans for a glitzy new league in 2020 will spell the beginning of the end for the traditions of the county game, Morgan is adamant that the tournament will reconnect cricket with its fans, especially if games are shown on free-to-air TV.
England’s white-ball captain flies to India tomorrow to take up a £250,000 contract with IPL team Kings XI Punjab, and has witnessed at first hand — in India, Australia and elsewhere — the phenomenal pulling power of Twenty20.
Ben Stokes has been signed for this year’s IPL for more than £1.7m, while fast bowler Tymal Mills was picked up at auction for nearly £1.5m and all-rounder Chris Woakes for £500,000.
‘I’m sure in 10 years’ time, probably at the IPL to start with, you’ll get guys who go for £5m,’ said Morgan. ‘It will be that big.
‘The English tournament will take time like the Big Bash in Australia, but I think down the road it will be huge.’
Asked whether it is outlandish to suggest that county cricket could soon be boasting its first £1m player, he replied: ‘No, not at all.’
Such is the ECB’s resolve to convince sceptical administrators of the new competition’s importance that Morgan spoke in front of county officials on Monday about his enthusiasm for the plans, which will see eight city-based teams pitted against each other during a 38-day window at the height of summer.
And he is particularly pleased about proposals to remove some matches from behind cricket’s satellite paywall.
‘Having a lot of games on free-to-air is a huge part of it,’ he said. ‘One of the biggest turning points in my generation has been the 2005 Ashes.
‘To have a lot of people who weren’t necessarily into cricket talking about cricket was awesome and to get that back it’s going to have to be as big a change as taking cricket to free-to-air. You cannot wait four years for an Ashes series or for a World Cup to engage with the public. It’s got to be continuous.
‘What if you have a family of three brothers and they’re all mad about football but they decide to play cricket because they watched Jos Buttler in the English Premier League?’
Meanwhile, former England batsman James Taylor — who retired from the game last year aged 26 because of a potentially fatal heart condition — has taken up a coaching role with reigning T20 champions Northamptonshire for this season’s 50- over Royal London Cup.
Eoin Morgan was attending a Chance to Shine and Yorkshire Tea event to promote the Junior Journalist competition. To find out more and to enter go to www.chancetoshine.org/juniorjourno