‘It's great cricket': Angry, abrasive England an Ashes goldmine for CA
CA has trumpeted the prospect of England bringing a record-breaking summer of attendances and TV ratings given the interest in Stokes' side.
Every opening day of the five Ashes Tests across Perth, Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney is now sold out. Ticket allocations for days 1-3 at the Gabba, Adelaide Oval and SCG have also been exhausted.
Pre-sale tickets for Ashes Tests more than doubled those of last summer's Border-Gavaskar series, when 837,879 fans turned out for the highest attended Test campaign in Australian history outside of the Ashes.
The all-time attendance record for a Test series on home soil stands at 946,750, which was set during the 1936-37 Ashes when Sir Donald Bradman was in his pomp.
England's tour from November will be the first Ashes clash since the enthralling 2023 series, in which Australia retained the urn and fallout from the infamous Lord's Test dominated coverage.
While Stokes was a notable withdrawal from England's fifth Test against India due to what is tipped as a 10-week shoulder injury, Greenberg and CA chair Mike Baird's immediate focus is sifting through the advice of an independent report on privatising Big Bash League franchises.
Recommendations from the Boston Consulting Group that will be considered by CA powerbrokers include a later start to the BBL season from Christmas to February and how to ensure Australia's stars turn out in the domestic T20 tournament.
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Greenberg and Baird stressed an open mind will be kept on the prospect of selling off stakes in BBL clubs, though Greenberg emphatically dismissed any suggestion of the MCG and SCG Tests being shifted from their Boxing Day and New Year's Eve slots.
'They've been anchored for a long period of time and you'll only have to turn up to these Test matches this year to see the scale that they bring to cricket,' Greenberg said.
'So there's been no discussions about moving them.'
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Sydney Morning Herald
14 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘You've got a crazy talent on your hands': O'Driscoll backs Suaalii to thrive in rugby
'I know he's been playing a bit of 15 for the Waratahs and he's obviously so athletic, so from an aerial point of view, he's a little bit like Israel Folau, giving him ownership of that backfield and that's a great starting point,' O'Driscoll said. 'I don't know what his kicking game is really like, we haven't seen much of it in union, but when you're elusive and you're strong, maybe you don't have to pigeonhole him into being in one position, maybe he can play multiple positions. 'The thing at 13 is he can be creative and destructive, but at 15, if you've got a good team that doesn't kick the ball stupidly to players like him and you press hard, it can be difficult to really make a difference. 'Whereas at 13, if you get a reasonable platform, you should be able to show off your skill set.' O'Driscoll was in the stands at the MCG to see the Lions stage a memorable comeback and seal the series. As a player, he excelled at turnovers at rucks, understanding the physical risks involved in putting your head and neck over the ball. The Dubliner has watched the Carlo Tizzano and Jac Morgan penalty incident and understands both the Wallabies' and the Lions' arguments. 'My gut was, and it's very hard to say, biased. I think a year ago, that could have been a penalty, but I think the laws have recalibrated a little bit around understanding the confrontational part of the game,' O'Driscoll said. 'It's a very, very close call on both fronts, don't get me wrong. We (the Lions) probably would have been annoyed, but it felt like I was happy to see it, but I don't know if that's just my bias. 'You won't see too many Lions or their supporters saying it was a penalty. I asked one Australian friend, whose opinion I would count, and he said, 'no penalty for me, mate'. He's the only Aussie that I've heard saying that. I'm not telling you who it was, but a very credible individual in my book. 'So listen, it was one of those (incidents), I think we'll argue forevermore. But I think from a technique point of view, Jac Morgan is spot on and from a Lions point of view, it's a great clear out.' The former Ireland great understands that with a high possibility of the Lions' first Test series whitewash in Australia since 1904 ahead of Saturday, it puts the Wallabies' place on the touring side's schedule into question. O'Driscoll was impressed by the Wallabies' fightback in the second Test and believes that while Lions tours may evolve from their current rota in the Southern Hemisphere, the quality of rugby in this country can never be taken for granted in the future. 'It's funny, we're in a world now that you can't just be hell-bent on tradition, you have to have a malleability to circumstances changing and maybe looking at new opportunities and new options,' O'Driscoll said. 'I just think at the moment, this particular Aussie team isn't as strong as others, but in a cycle of 12 years time, the game changes. 'They (the Wallabies and Lions) were probably even enough teams 12 years ago and they were very even teams 24 years ago, I think this is just a better Lions outfit now, but that'll change. 'The only thing is, Australia has struggled for a while. It was the first time being knocked out of the group stage of the World Cup, and it's just gotten away from them a little bit. 'I don't know what the participation level is, but interest levels have definitely waned a bit, so it's just on a bit of a slide at the moment. 'But that's not to say you can't get that back. So I wouldn't be in a mad rush to be writing Australia off just yet. 'But is there the potential for an alternative? People have talked about a Lions tour to France. Who knows? I think you've got to have an open mind to these things, but I wouldn't be in a rush to write off Australia either.' O'Driscoll lost 36 of his 84 Tests as captain of the Lions and Ireland, joking that he should 'have a PhD in panic'. The Irishman is thus well qualified to deal with a distraught dressing room and understand how Wallabies captain Harry Wilson can generate a final memorable performance from his team in Sydney. 'You're allowed 48 hours to grieve. Just 48 hours, that's fine, you've got to feel sorry for yourself and lick your wounds a little bit and then pick yourself not about the result, it's about putting together a similar performance,' O'Driscoll said. 'They (the Wallabies) really were unlucky not to get the result, they played a great game and I think there's so much positive to take from that... 'You can't be a flash in the pan, you can't just get yourselves up for a test match that really matters, sometimes the hardest ones are the ones that, on the face of it, don't matter because there's no outcome at the end and you can't win from it. 'But it's more important than that because now it's about, you know, bringing your crowd along with you, believing you're building something, and not taking the easy option around kind of folding and going, oh, well, the series is gone. Loading 'It's about just making sure that you deliver another really good performance and it'll be close again, irrespective, but if they can deliver a good performance and get a good win, you know, you carry something forward for the next six months.' Brian O'Driscoll is an ambassador for Howden Insurance, the Principal Partner of the Lions Tour and was speaking exclusively to this masthead as part of their 'Insuring Greatness' campaign.
The Age
14 minutes ago
- The Age
‘You've got a crazy talent on your hands': O'Driscoll backs Suaalii to thrive in rugby
'I know he's been playing a bit of 15 for the Waratahs and he's obviously so athletic, so from an aerial point of view, he's a little bit like Israel Folau, giving him ownership of that backfield and that's a great starting point,' O'Driscoll said. 'I don't know what his kicking game is really like, we haven't seen much of it in union, but when you're elusive and you're strong, maybe you don't have to pigeonhole him into being in one position, maybe he can play multiple positions. 'The thing at 13 is he can be creative and destructive, but at 15, if you've got a good team that doesn't kick the ball stupidly to players like him and you press hard, it can be difficult to really make a difference. 'Whereas at 13, if you get a reasonable platform, you should be able to show off your skill set.' O'Driscoll was in the stands at the MCG to see the Lions stage a memorable comeback and seal the series. As a player, he excelled at turnovers at rucks, understanding the physical risks involved in putting your head and neck over the ball. The Dubliner has watched the Carlo Tizzano and Jac Morgan penalty incident and understands both the Wallabies' and the Lions' arguments. 'My gut was, and it's very hard to say, biased. I think a year ago, that could have been a penalty, but I think the laws have recalibrated a little bit around understanding the confrontational part of the game,' O'Driscoll said. 'It's a very, very close call on both fronts, don't get me wrong. We (the Lions) probably would have been annoyed, but it felt like I was happy to see it, but I don't know if that's just my bias. 'You won't see too many Lions or their supporters saying it was a penalty. I asked one Australian friend, whose opinion I would count, and he said, 'no penalty for me, mate'. He's the only Aussie that I've heard saying that. I'm not telling you who it was, but a very credible individual in my book. 'So listen, it was one of those (incidents), I think we'll argue forevermore. But I think from a technique point of view, Jac Morgan is spot on and from a Lions point of view, it's a great clear out.' The former Ireland great understands that with a high possibility of the Lions' first Test series whitewash in Australia since 1904 ahead of Saturday, it puts the Wallabies' place on the touring side's schedule into question. O'Driscoll was impressed by the Wallabies' fightback in the second Test and believes that while Lions tours may evolve from their current rota in the Southern Hemisphere, the quality of rugby in this country can never be taken for granted in the future. 'It's funny, we're in a world now that you can't just be hell-bent on tradition, you have to have a malleability to circumstances changing and maybe looking at new opportunities and new options,' O'Driscoll said. 'I just think at the moment, this particular Aussie team isn't as strong as others, but in a cycle of 12 years time, the game changes. 'They (the Wallabies and Lions) were probably even enough teams 12 years ago and they were very even teams 24 years ago, I think this is just a better Lions outfit now, but that'll change. 'The only thing is, Australia has struggled for a while. It was the first time being knocked out of the group stage of the World Cup, and it's just gotten away from them a little bit. 'I don't know what the participation level is, but interest levels have definitely waned a bit, so it's just on a bit of a slide at the moment. 'But that's not to say you can't get that back. So I wouldn't be in a mad rush to be writing Australia off just yet. 'But is there the potential for an alternative? People have talked about a Lions tour to France. Who knows? I think you've got to have an open mind to these things, but I wouldn't be in a rush to write off Australia either.' O'Driscoll lost 36 of his 84 Tests as captain of the Lions and Ireland, joking that he should 'have a PhD in panic'. The Irishman is thus well qualified to deal with a distraught dressing room and understand how Wallabies captain Harry Wilson can generate a final memorable performance from his team in Sydney. 'You're allowed 48 hours to grieve. Just 48 hours, that's fine, you've got to feel sorry for yourself and lick your wounds a little bit and then pick yourself not about the result, it's about putting together a similar performance,' O'Driscoll said. 'They (the Wallabies) really were unlucky not to get the result, they played a great game and I think there's so much positive to take from that... 'You can't be a flash in the pan, you can't just get yourselves up for a test match that really matters, sometimes the hardest ones are the ones that, on the face of it, don't matter because there's no outcome at the end and you can't win from it. 'But it's more important than that because now it's about, you know, bringing your crowd along with you, believing you're building something, and not taking the easy option around kind of folding and going, oh, well, the series is gone. Loading 'It's about just making sure that you deliver another really good performance and it'll be close again, irrespective, but if they can deliver a good performance and get a good win, you know, you carry something forward for the next six months.' Brian O'Driscoll is an ambassador for Howden Insurance, the Principal Partner of the Lions Tour and was speaking exclusively to this masthead as part of their 'Insuring Greatness' campaign.
Perth Now
14 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Aussies helping change the NBA game: Tyrese Proctor
Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Tyrese Proctor says Australia is helping "change the game" of basketball as a record-equalling draft cohort prepares for its NBA dream to become reality. Sydney native Proctor joined Rocco Zikarsky, Alex Toohey and Lachlan Olbrich as one of four Australians selected in the 2025 NBA draft in June, the equal-most in one year. The quartet's arrival comes after a record 15 Australians featured on NBA rosters last season, with Patty Mills becoming the first Australian to reach 1000 NBA games and Alex Ducas winning a championship on Oklahoma City's roster. Non-American players have won the MVP award in each of the last seven NBA seasons and players of 17 different nationalities were drafted in 2025. "The game's changing, international basketball itself," said Proctor as he paid a visit to training for NRL side Cronulla this week. "Not just in Australia, France, Spain, all those countries, it's changing. It shows in the NBA. "A lot of MVPs are international guys and I think Australian basketball specifically is making a big jump as well." At No.49, Proctor was the highest draft pick for a Cavs side that topped the eastern conference standings last season and has designs on the 2025/26 championship. The 21-year-old received a call from the team's star player Donovan Mitchell to welcome him to the franchise on draft night. "He just told me to enjoy my night, just take it one day at a time and he'll see me when I get to Cleveland," Proctor said. "Just him welcoming me as soon as I heard my name called is pretty special." But it wasn't until he was sitting in first class on the long flight home to Sydney that it sunk in for Proctor that he would soon be realising his NBA dream. "The plane ride back was a little bit of a moment," he said. "Fourteen hours on a plane, you don't have much to do but really think, and take a sec. "My mum's always telling me to be present so just rewinding a little bit, just thinking about some of the things that have happened. Obviously getting drafted is a big thing and thinking ahead, but not too far ahead." Prior to his three years at famous basketball school Duke University, Proctor attended the NBA Global Academy in Canberra where he became fast friends with current NBA players Dyson Daniels and Josh Giddey. Proctor has sought advice from the pair about the NBA as he prepares to join them on the world's biggest stage. "Dyson is definitely a guy I've spoken to all the time. Giddey here and there as well," Proctor said. "(They've said) how long the season is, I think that's the biggest message that even the vets at Cleveland have said. "It's a long season and you can't burn out too early, you've just got to be consistent the whole season."
