Sri Lanka agree to tour England in 2009

[Prince EWS]

I don't suppose they'd ever have agreed to it, but as soon as it became apparent that the Zimbabwe tour was under threat I felt that an extra Test against Australia would have attracted far more interest (and revenue) than two against anyone else.

That'd be awesome.

 

[GIMH]

Yeah, the old 6-Test Ashes were great, my first time watching cricket properly was the 97 Ashes which was six. Was disappointed when it got trimmed tbh.

 

[brockley]

Wait till australia pulls out of the one dayers in pakitan in april,the **** will truely hit the fan,their will be claims and counterclaims on IPL then.

 

[silentstriker]

Fair enough...but seriously, this is a poor advertisement to international cricket...i see it going dwn the drain and for once, its not cos of the lack of fans...it the lack of players that care. The IPL is the worst thing that has happened to cricket...i now find it hard to believe that any current cricketer in the international scene is passionate for his country. They are either money/fame-hungry or cant do anything else with thier lives but play cricket.

It's not the players. If the board can't even pay its international stars, who by the way, don't get paid remotely in the same league as India, England, Australia, anyway, you cannot blame them for looking out for their families?

How the hell would you feel if your boss decided to stop paying you for five months?

 

[Richard]

And apparently it's now been changed to West Indies. Who last toured just one season ago as of currently.

 

[Richard]

I don't suppose they'd ever have agreed to it, but as soon as it became apparent that the Zimbabwe tour was under threat I felt that an extra Test against Australia would have attracted far more interest (and revenue) than two against anyone else.

And I seem to have missed this post, but the contract with Sky requires seven, sadly. Six would be far preferable for mine, but it isn't possible with the current broadcasting contract. Signed-and-sealed deals are signed-and-sealed deals.

 

[SpaceMonkey]

And apparently it's now been changed to West Indies. Who last toured just one season ago as of currently.

Well I for one would pref a test series vs WI than Sri Lanka, so i cant say im that disappointed. Even if it does mean we play WI a silly number of times both home and away in such a short period of time.

 

[Richard]

A two-Test series against anyone is rarely that much of an excitement for me. About the only interesting one we were involved in to me was Zimbabwe in 2000. The two-Test nature suits substandard sides like Zimbabwe of 2003 and Bangladesh of 2005, but it's not remotely interesting.

And as I said not so long ago, I'm really rather surprised anyone would currently prefer play WI than SL, even if there is 50 years' history more.

 

[TT Boy]

West Indies… That's one not to stay up for I guess particularly when Chanderpaul, Gayle and Sarwan are off playing IPL.

England should play a series of two four day games against England A (Lions) and then a one day series plus a few 20/20 games. Would be great fun and offers a faux chance for the A boys to stake a claim for an Ashes place. It has no international commercial attractiveness but considering the IPL and South Africa Australia is going on at a similarly time, no one will be interested in watching the West Indies or indeed Sri Lanka anyhow.

 

[Xuhaib]

I think Pakistan would be a better replacement since we are alrady starved for International cricket.

 

[Goughy]

Well I for one would pref a test series vs WI than Sri Lanka, so i cant say im that disappointed. Even if it does mean we play WI a silly number of times both home and away in such a short period of time.

Agreed

 

[Richard]

England should play a series of two four day games against England A (Lions) and then a one day series plus a few 20/20 games. Would be great fun and offers a faux chance for the A boys to stake a claim for an Ashes place. It has no international commercial attractiveness but considering the IPL and South Africa Australia is going on at a similarly time, no one will be interested in watching the West Indies or indeed Sri Lanka anyhow.

Not sure if Sky would be happy with that though.

Otherwise I agree, it'd be very much the best idea available.

 

[stumpski]

I think Pakistan would be a better replacement since we are alrady starved for International cricket.

Surely Pakistan players will be involved in IPL as well though? You get the same problem whichever side comes - unless it's Bangladesh. Otherwise I'd agree with that, so long as they're not coming back in 2010.

 

[BoyBrumby]

ECB chairman Giles Clarke, yesterday.

 

[Uppercut]

Agh, i'd prefer Sri Lanka for sure. Better contest, get to see how Mendis copes outside the subcontinent, already have a English tour of WI beforehand to follow up on a boring, one-sided tour last summer. WI have one player i'd pay specifically to watch (Shiv), Sri Lanka have several.

 

[Richard]

Surely Mendis will be in the IPL?

 

[Uppercut]

Surely Mendis will be in the IPL?

I only meant on the (extremely shaky) presumption that their respective best available teams would play. If they're all going to be in the IPL, i don't want any tour. It will only be an embarrassment, and a horribly depressing one at that.

 

[Prince EWS]

I only meant on the (extremely shaky) presumption that their respective best available teams would play. If they're all going to be in the IPL, i don't want any tour. It will only be an embarrassment, and a horribly depressing one at that.

Yeah, I'd literally cry if a Test match was ever played whereby a player was sitting out due to IPL commitments. I can cop no Tests being played when the IPL is on to a certain extent (even though it still makes me die a little inside) but a farcial Test with teams at less than full strength would send me into a fit.

 

[Richard]

Obviously, practically it'd be better to have no Tests played at all if the IPL was in motion at the time.

Sadly the ECB's contract with Sky doesn't allow such a thing. There has to be a game against someone at the scheduled time, else the ECB are in breach of their contract with Sky, which would be disastrous. Far more disastrous, dare I say, than a couple of games being given Test status between England A and West Indies A.

If only because that could, though not neccessarily would, be withdrawn in hindsight. As Sky wouldn't give two hoots if a game they'd televised 3 years ago stopped being a Test.

 

[Prince EWS]

There has to be a game against someone at the scheduled time, else the ECB are in breach of their contract with Sky, which would be disastrous

Bangladesh would be perfect IMO.