Australia off-season 2022

[TheJediBrah]

Good thing for country cricket too. Really needs a massive injection of foreign talent to bring up the standard IMO

 

[morgieb]

What’s changed with visas? I’m guessing you no longer have to have recently played international cricket?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

What’s changed with visas? I’m guessing you no longer have to have recently played international cricket?

Pretty much, now playing a decentish number of BBL/other franchise T20 games (can't recall the exact number) is considerd sufficient

 

[morgieb]

Pretty much, now playing a decentish number of BBL/other franchise T20 games (can't recall the exact number) is considerd sufficient

Still hurts those who are FC specialists though…

TBH I never got the rules in the first place assuming limits to overseas players existed. It certainly hasn’t really helped English cricket….

 

[Prince EWS]

Still hurts those who are FC specialists though…

TBH I never got the rules in the first place assuming limits to overseas players existed. It certainly hasn’t really helped English cricket….

The rules were imposed by the government rather than the ECB. They were visa restrictions rather than competition restrictions.

 

[tony p]

I suppose a thread might be worthwhile.

Saw this article posted on a certain other forum, CA effectively wants to sacrifice the white ball internationals to save the BBL. Doesn't look good for the future of FTA broadcasts either.

Spoiler

Cricket Australia’s bold plan to rescue Big Bash League before next TV rights deal

Cricket Australia has a radical plan to try to reignite the Big Bash League, but will it happen quickly enough for broadcasters to want to bid for the rights at the next TV deal?

Cricket Australia is set to permanently jettison white-ball internationals out of January in a desperate attempt to save the dying Big Bash League.

But the long-term rescue plan, which will guarantee the unprecedented availability of Australian stars for a large chunk of the tournament, can’t kick in until 2024 – leaving CA in a perilous position heading into a BBL season broadcasters are telling them will make-or-break the next TV rights deal.
As it stands, CA is powerless to change three ODIs against South Africa scheduled for the middle of January next summer, as well as an Australian Test team likely leaving for India before the BBL finals.

It is a scheduling double blow which once again decimates the star power of the competition in a summer where the heat is on like never before to deliver with only two summers to run on the current $1.8 billion TV deal with Channel 7 and Fox Sports.
As revealed by News Corp last month, the BBL has lost on average 450,000 viewers per game since 2016 and has been in decline for six consecutive years on Channels 10, 7 and Fox Sports.

“They’ve basically got this summer to sort it out otherwise it’s not going to be worth what it was worth. It’s just not,” one industry source said.
But CA executives are listening to the damning feedback and in Dubai last week held crucial talks with the International Cricket Council about permanently fencing off the last three weeks in January following the Sydney New Year’s Test to make it an exclusive BBL window.
It’s a potentially watershed moment for the Big Bash, because it will guarantee all Australian Test and white-ball superstars would be available every summer for a significant stretch of games, including finals – something which has never happened in the history of the competition.
But the billion dollar question is will it be too late to save cricket’s next TV rights deal from disaster?
Even if they stick with Test cricket, Channel 7 has no interest in bidding again for the BBL, and there is no sign Channels 10 or 9 would be interested in weighing in.
It’s estimated the BBL represents up to $80 million of the $186 million Channel 7 and Fox Sports are paying each year for the cricket rights – but that figure is in grave danger of shrinking dramatically and closer to the $20 million a year Channel 10 had it for in the previous TV deal.

Both Seven and Fox have told Cricket Australia executives in no uncertain terms that this coming summer is do-or-die for the BBL before negotiations for the next deal commence.
The networks want less gimmicks and more genuine star power and would be happy with fewer games if it meant better quality.
Cricket Australia have responded by nutting out an arrangement with the ICC to ensure that from 2024 when the next Future Tours cycle starts, white ball internationals in Australia are played either at the start of the summer in October and November, or in February … but never in January.
It should guarantee all Australian players are free to play in the last three weeks of the tournament.
Sources expect CA to make it a contractual obligation for all centrally contracted players that they must play some part in the BBL.
“They should be allowed to play and quite frankly, made to play,” said an industry source.
It would be a potentially game-changing breakthrough for the Big Bash League, given never before in its history has it had access to Australian international stars outside of small, random pockets.

But the tricky thing for Cricket Australia will be convincing broadcasters to take a leap of faith that the Big Bash is ready to turn a corner from 2024 under the proposed scheduling revamp, even though over the course of this six year TV deal the product has been in steady decline.
Broadcasters feel the BBL is in no man’s land.
It’s no longer the attractive entertainment product it first set out to be, and nor is it a functional development or feeder system for producing talent.
Ben McDermott, far and away the best player in the most recent BBL failed to get a bid at the Indian Premier League auction, and at last year’s World Cup not a single breakout BBL star was able to get anywhere near cracking the Australian XI.
Tim David was the pick of the Aussies at this year’s IPL auction, yet he got his million dollars largely courtesy of his work in the Pakistan Super League – now considered a superior competition to the BBL.
The farcical decision to block Steve Smith from making cameo appearances in the last BBL spotlighted how lost the competition has become.
News Corp understands Cricket Australia is highly unlikely to reduce the current 14-game home and away season, but are looking at crunching it all into six weeks to start just before Christmas and finish at the end of January.

Administrators are set to try and finally introduce an overseas player draft which has been delayed by COVID – and while big name internationals are important, both networks agree there is no substitute for having Australian stars headline the tournament.
There is no other T20 competition in the world that is competing against itself like the BBL, with the successful leagues in India, Pakistan and England all given a window uninterrupted by their international teams.
But Cricket Australia’s breakthrough talks with the ICC in Dubai has provided some long-awaited light at the end of the tunnel.
If all 11 Test players and 11 specialist white-ball internationals are playing BBL at the same time and spread evenly across the teams – there is suddenly genuine star power to lift the profile of every game and improve the languishing standards of play.
Another idea that’s been floated is whether the BBL schedule could move more to a football code model where games are played on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays to create a more concentrated big hit for ratings and crowds – but it’s unclear how effective that would be when it’s school holiday period anyway.

My heart bleeds for Cricket Australia, have no sympathy for them at all.
They are the reason the comp is ****ed, to greedy, too many games, thought fans were idiots.
You reap what you sow.

 

[Spikey]

What’s changed with visas? I’m guessing you no longer have to have recently played international cricket?

Pretty much, now playing a decentish number of BBL/other franchise T20 games (can't recall the exact number) is considerd sufficient

they still have the 1 test in the last 2 years or 5 tests in the last 5 years rules, plus an international ODI/T20 number I can't recall, plus being CA contracted or named in the most recent international squad.

the added option is having played 20 domestic T20s over the last 2 years in an full ICC member country , to open up options for the Hundred

The rules were imposed by the government rather than the ECB. They were visa restrictions rather than competition restrictions.

pretty sure the ECB basically creates the criteria through lobbying though

 

[Nintendo]

they still have the 1 test in the last 2 years or 5 tests in the last 5 years rules, plus an international ODI/T20 number I can't recall, plus being CA contracted or named in the most recent international squad.

the added option is having played 20 domestic T20s over the last 2 years in an full ICC member country , to open up options for the Hundred



pretty sure the ECB basically creates the criteria through lobbying though

Inglis played county Cricket last year and haden't played any internationals up to that point. You 100% on this?

 

[morgieb]

Inglis played county Cricket last year and haden't played any internationals up to that point. You 100% on this?

Inglis is also English though, so he would've been eligible for a visa regardless.

 

[Nintendo]

Ahh o

Inglis is also English though, so he would've been eligible for a visa regardless.

Ahh ok that makes sense, my b.

 

[Spikey]

Inglis played county Cricket last year and haden't played any internationals up to that point. You 100% on this?

the changes came in from the start of 2020 iirc. Abbott signed a county deal almost immediately after the changes came in but covid cancelled everything

 

[Starfighter]

Redbacks bolster pace stocks with interstate duo

South Australia have added NSW-born quicks Harry Conway and Henry Thornton to their list for 2022-23 as they look to move off the bottom of the Sheffield Shield ladder

www.cricket.com.au

SA have signed Conway (yuck) and Thornton. I didn't know that Worrall had decided to up sticks and move England, that's a big shame. Happened a year ago to.

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Thornton to South Australia? 2019 myself approves

Seriously though, good signings I reckon. Conway has shown himself to be a reliable operator at FC level, where as Thornton with his half a yard of extra pace very much could be the sort of bowler to offer a real point of difference. Definitely a shame to lose Franky, been a valuable servant of South Australian cricket, but realistically I don't think his departure will be as much of a blow the team than it would have been had it happened 2-3 years ago

 

[Starfighter]

I don't think his departure will be as much of a blow the team than it would have been had it happened 2-3 years ago

Are you saying SA could possibly have done worse? Is that even possible lol?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Are you saying SA could possibly have done worse? Is that even possible lol?

There's a bit more seam depth now than there was when guys like Nick 115kph Benton were getting games

 

[TheJediBrah]

There's a bit more seam depth now than there was when guys like Nick 115kph Benton were getting games

worked for the Chadd

 

[GoodAreasShane]

Ahh, Ben Manenti has landed over here in Adelaide too. Decent enough signing imo, with Pope not kicking on so far the squad probably needed another spinner and he went alright in his brief taste of Shield cricket for Tasmania




For the first time in a few years, it actually felt like there was some slight progress being made last season, even if the end of season standings don't reflect that. The batting seemed a bit less liable to fall into a heap, getting draws in games that would have previously been lost.

 

[Starfighter]

@GoodAreasShane anything to say about Tim Oakley?

 

[GoodAreasShane]

@GoodAreasShane anything to say about Tim Oakley?

Disappointing he isn't on the full list for sure, I would have definitely retained him, but just looks to be a case of not enough spots available on the playing list as much as anything else


At least it looks like the door is still ajar if he keeps performing in grade cricket, Spencer Johnson (who I also rate pretty highly tbh) found his way back after a season or two outside the setup on sheer weight of grade wickets, certainly very possible Oakley could do the same

 

[TheJediBrah]

Can't be a good sign that he was left off the list concurrently with a bunch of interstate signings to bring in talent, smacks of "even when this guy was on our list we didn't think he was good enough so we'll keep looking elsewhere"