***Official*** Australia in England 2012

[Furball]

AKA "meaningless **** that's preventing us from having a 4th Test vs South Africa."

Thu Jun 21
Leicestershire v Australians
Grace Road, Leicester

Sat Jun 23
Only ODI - Ireland v Australia
Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast

Tue Jun 26
Essex v Australians
County Ground, Chelmsford

Fri Jun 29
1st ODI - England v Australia
Lord's, London

Sun Jul 1
2nd ODI - England v Australia
Kennington Oval, London

Wed Jul 4
3rd ODI - England v Australia
Edgbaston, Birmingham

Sat Jul 7
4th ODI - England v Australia
Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street

Tue Jul 10
5th ODI - England v Australia
Old Trafford, Manchester

Sky Sports News meanwhile, is reporting that the series is in doubt due to a strike threat by the Australians:

Australia in strike threat | England Cricket News, Fixtures, Results | Sky Sports

Australia's players may go on strike ahead of this summer's one-day tour of England over performance-related pay issues, The Australian newspaper has reported.

Australian Cricketers Association (ACA) chief Paul Marsh said there were contingency plans should a resolution not be agreed with Cricket Australia before July 1.

The Australian said players have examined a boycott of next month's one-day tour of England or the Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka in September-October.

"Relationships between players and management are heated and threatening to become as ugly as the stand-off surrounding the first player contract negotiations during Mark Taylor's captaincy (1994-1999)," the newspaper said.

"Cricket Australia is playing hardball in negotiations and has frozen all state and Big Bash (domestic T20) contract talks under the threat of a Aus$50,000 ($48,400) fine until the new agreement is in place."

The newspaper said players and state administrators have both raised the possibility of a boycott of July's tour to England.

Marsh told the newspaper his members were preparing for a potential industrial stand-off if there was no contract in place before the current one ends.

Frustration

"There's only 29 days of negotiations left to run, so of course we are preparing for the eventuality of not having a deal in place before the end of July," Marsh told The Australian.

"We are looking at all of our different options."

The players and Cricket Australia were progressing towards an agreement on a controversial shift to performance-based pay when CA tabled a demand to change the definition of cricket revenue, it said.

"The association considers that a Aus$30 million cash grab and there is frustration that the bid was tabled late in negotiations," The Australian said.

"The players argue they are not asking for more money, but want to ensure they do not receive less at a time when the game is in reasonable financial health."

The main sticking point in the negotiations has been the move to adjust the players' revenue share according to performance, it said.

"At the moment the players receive 26 percent of all cricket income but that would move to a sliding scale under a new deal," the newspaper said.

"The pot from which the percentage is taken would shrink under the proposals."

Australia are scheduled to play England in five ODIs from June 29-July 10.

Does anyone actually give a **** about this series? I quite like the idea of a stand alone ODI series, but not when a) we're playing series against both other touring sides and b) scheduling this series means that the series vs South Africa is only 3 Tests.

 

[vic_orthdox]

I would very highly doubt that there will be any strike action involved in this case. However, a meaningless ODI series against England might be the type of thing that would be worth using to hold a ransom over.

Is this just a money grab for both boards, or do we owe the English some ODIs from somewhere?

 

[Jager]

Bloody hell, this is the stupidest idea for a tour. At least we'll play Ireland which is good for them.

 

[GIMH]

I was under the impression that the Saffa series was reduced because of the Olympics

 

[Jacknife]

I think that's what was banded about but it makes sense that if we didn't have this series of one-dayers they could fit another test in against SA, ideally it should be a 5 test series.

 

[Furball]

I was under the impression that the Saffa series was reduced because of the Olympics

2 of the 3 Tests are in London. Not buying it.

 

[Viscount Tom]

That and the Tests could have started earlier had it not been for the series no one gives a toss about.

Honestly the people who do the match scheduling for the ECB need shooting or sacking.

 

[Jacknife]

A 5 Test series against SA would have been epic this year, I think they've really missed a trick with this ****e schedule.

 

[Viscount Tom]

An extra 10 packed full days of tests or 5 ODIs that even the players struggle to give tickets away to because no one cares about them. Clearly the ECB ain't so bright.

 

[Cabinet96]

I actually really like series like this. The ODI's always feel like a bit of a piss about after a gruelling Ashes campaign. Series like this, however, are good for the ODI game IMO. It's the pinnacle reason for the tour and thus less players are likely to be rested, and the whole series will be taken more seriously and with more importance.

I'm not a fan of missing a couple of tests against SA for it though. I'd ideally like them to do both.

I was under the impression that the Saffa series was reduced because of the Olympics

I think it was both.

An extra 10 packed full days of tests or 5 ODIs that even the players struggle to give tickets away to because no one cares about them. Clearly the ECB ain't so bright.

That's not at all the case though. I've tried to get ODI tickets at Lords for years yet haven't been able to because they've been sold out. The last time I got ODI tickets was against the Aussies at Lords in 2009, and there were 2 ODI's at Lords that series. On the contrary I've been able to get tickets for the first day of tests against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and South Africa in recent months, with relative ease. It really bugs me how I read things in the media about how the fans care more about the test game, and are showing this with tickets etc...because, at least in London, that's just not true. There's so many things that one could argue for there being another test against SA, but the selling of tickets isn't one of them.

If you know any players who can't sell tickets, then give me a shout if it's not too much bother, because I'd like to go to the one at Lords.

 

[hazsa19]

I actually really like series like this. The ODI's always feel like a bit of a piss about after a gruelling Ashes campaign. Series like this, however, are good for the ODI game IMO. It's the pinnacle reason for the tour and thus less players are likely to be rested, and the whole series will be taken more seriously and with more importance.

I'm not a fan of missing a couple of tests against SA for it though. I'd ideally like them to do both.



I think it was both.



That's not at all the case though. I've tried to get ODI tickets at Lords for years yet haven't been able to because they've been sold out. The last time I got ODI tickets was against the Aussies at Lords in 2009, and there were 2 ODI's at Lords that series. On the contrary I've been able to get tickets for the first day of tests against Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India and South Africa in recent months, with relative ease. It really bugs me how I read things in the media about how the fans care more about the test game, and are showing this with tickets etc...because, at least in London, that's just not true. There's so many things that one could argue for there being another test against SA, but the selling of tickets isn't one of them.

If you know any players who can't sell tickets, then give me a shout if it's not too much bother, because I'd like to go to the one at Lords.

Lords is an exception. If something remotely cricket related happens at Lords they'll sell out.

I believe the general point is the enthusiasm for the respective series'. The country would be buzzing if there was a closely contested 5 Test Match series. Think of the drama, the tension!

The odi series against Australia... it wouldn't come close, it can't come close.

 

[zaremba]

I'm on strike so far as this ****ty and pointless tour and its meaningless ****ing ODIs are concerned. In fact I'm contemplating some kind of sit-in and dirty protest at Lord's, although admittedly that might not be noticeably different from my behaviour at any given cricket match

 

[GIMH]

Any opportunity to stick it up those dirty crims is welcome to me

5-0 Win for us

 

[fredfertang]

A 5 Test series against SA would have been epic this year, I think they've really missed a trick with this ****e schedule.

Couldn't agree more - this West Indies series has been a waste of time - it just doesn't feel right to watch a Test match where you spend the game hoping and praying that the oppo will do well enough to make a game of it.

The South Africans are proper opposition, we can all hate them with impunity, and an old-fashioned five Test series would have been epic

........ especially now the Aus and India are so ****e

 

[uvelocity]

well I for one am glad to see the best team in world cricket go around again

aussies 6-0

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Pointless series. Total waste of time and the Aussies appear like they know it too with this threatened strike.

Why oh why didn't we have an extra test v SA?

 

[Spikey]

hussey cbf going. forrest replaces him

 

[Spikey]

and can I just say I'm sick of child birth ruining international cricket. they should be a designated window

 

[ajdude]

i think it's more the 'three months premature' part that's stopping him from going

 

[Spikey]

shut your goddamn mouth