CA boss Greenberg's warning for future of Test cricket
Admitting he has become a "little unpopular" since taking over from Nick Hockley in March, the former Australian Cricketers' Association boss believes "scarcity in Test cricket is our friend, not our foe".
"I don't think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play Test cricket, and that might be OK," Greenberg said on Wednesday with 100 days to go before the Ashes.
"A lot of traditionalists might not like that.
"I'm not suggesting I know the number that will play, but literally we're trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play Test cricket.
"We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play Test cricket where it means something, and has jeopardy, and that's why the Ashes will be as enormous and as profitable as it is because it means something."
But there could be more Test cricket played in Australia, with Greenberg open to playing red-ball matches in Queensland and the Northern Territory during winter.
Australia are currently hosting South Africa in Twenty20s and ODIs in Darwin, Cairns and Mackay.
Tests were last played in Darwin and Cairns more than 20 years ago, with Australia hosting Sri Lanka in 2003, then Bangladesh the following year.
"I was in Darwin on Sunday night (for the first T20)," Greenberg said.
"I went there primarily because it meant a lot to the people of the Northern Territory.
"They hadn't had international cricket there for the best part of 17 years.
"The one thing when you go there at this time of year is you take the one biggest variable away, which is the weather.
"Great facilities ... I can see that (Tests) happening."
Greenberg has also been exploring privatisation of the Big Bash League, noting other T20 competitions around the world are backed by money outside the governing cricket boards.
"That will upset some people, and it will set the hairs racing and potentially of people debating the merits," he said.
"It would be completely naive of us sitting here in Australia to not explore it.
"I'm not suggesting that we're going to do it yet.
"I'm not suggesting there's been a decision made, and ultimately it won't just be my decision or Cricket Australia's decision.
"It will be the whole of leadership of Australian cricket and it has to be beneficial for everyone."
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Sydney Morning Herald
24 minutes ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
I played backyard cricket with Bob Simpson. He made one of the greatest comebacks in Australian sport
To start with, Simpson fielded in the deep in first-class cricket. It was the legendary Keith Miller who spotted Simpson's talent to field in the slips. Simmo took two diving catches to establish his position as a slip fielder throughout his Test career. He made his first-class debut for NSW against Victoria in 1952-53 as a 16-year-old. When Simpson was introduced to his teammates, the legendary Australian batter Arthur Morris joked as to where his nappies were! Simpson was grateful to another Aussie legend, vice-captain Neil Harvey, for his climb to the top. On Harvey's advice he tried opening the batting to replace Jim Burke, who had retired. When he found runs getting difficult he took Harvey's help, who advised the youngster that he was playing too square-on while defending on the back foot. He became one of the most consistent openers at Test level. In 62 Tests from 1957 to 1978 he amassed 4869 runs at an average of 46.81, hitting 10 centuries – his highest score being 311 against England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1964. He also took 71 wickets at 42.26 (grabbing five wickets in an innings twice, his best spell being five for 57) and 110 catches. He was an astute rather than a dynamic captain. Simpson's 311 in the Old Trafford Test took 760 minutes, and he was criticised for his slow batting. The Daily Mail called it the 'murder of Test cricket'. At one stage, six journalists in the press box were seen dozing while he was batting. Simpson defended his tactics, asserting that with a series lead, batting England out of the match was the best way to retain the Ashes. In that same Test, he added 201 runs for the opening wicket with Bill Lawry. They did even better in the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1964, when they put on 382 runs for the first wicket, skipper Simpson scoring 201 and Lawry 210. They became the first opening pair to register double centuries in the same Test innings. Between them, they added 3596 runs in Tests at an average of 61. Simpson became the second Australian, after Don Bradman, to make a Test triple century in England. He was also the second batsman after Garry Sobers to record a triple century as his first Test hundred. A prolific scorer, Simpson recorded another triple century in first-class cricket: 359 for NSW against Queensland at Brisbane in 1963-64. He was also a strict but inspiring coach like Justin Langer. When Australia was looking for a full-time coach in the mid-1980s, Simpson was the Australian Cricket Board's choice. He gave Allan Border's team a taste of the discipline to which he had always submitted himself as a player. To quote writer Gideon Haigh, 'A martinet where fitness, fielding and batting technique were concerned, he held the job for a controversial but successful decade, during which time the team won the World Cup and regained both the Ashes and the Frank Worrell Trophy.' Simmo remained Australia's coach until he was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996. Under Simpson as coach, Australia improved from being a weak team to the strongest in the world. Apart from winning the 1987 World Cup, Australia regained the Ashes in England in 1989 and defeated the then-invincible West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. Simpson later coached English counties Leicestershire and Lancashire, and also Rajasthan in India. I was privileged to sit next to Bob Simpson and his daughter Debbie at a function held by the Cricketers' Club of NSW in 1984, for the Richie Benaud Award for the Best Under-19 cricketer of the year. When schoolboy Mark Waugh won, Simpson was full of praise for the then 18-year-old Mark and his twin brother Steve. When I finished my book The Waugh Twins in 1998, I requested Bob write a foreword. He readily agreed, starting with: 'First, as the book is by Kersi Meher-Homji, I know it will be accurate, honest and a very good read. Secondly, the Waugh twins were a major part of my life for over a decade and I had the good fortune to be able to see and perhaps oversee their development from talented youngsters to champions.' His own biography, Simpson's Safari, was authored by R.S. Whitington in 1967. Simpson also wrote several books – my favourites being Simmo (1979) and Captain's Story (1966). He said of his career: 'It took me many years to become an overnight success.' Loading Simpson was made Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965 and inducted as Order of Australia (AO) in 1985. He was also made Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE). He dedicated his autobiography, Simmo, to his wife and two daughters: 'To my three girls – Meg, Kim and Debbie'. Kim is married to former Test cricketer and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.
The Age
24 minutes ago
- The Age
I played backyard cricket with Bob Simpson. He made one of the greatest comebacks in Australian sport
To start with, Simpson fielded in the deep in first-class cricket. It was the legendary Keith Miller who spotted Simpson's talent to field in the slips. Simmo took two diving catches to establish his position as a slip fielder throughout his Test career. He made his first-class debut for NSW against Victoria in 1952-53 as a 16-year-old. When Simpson was introduced to his teammates, the legendary Australian batter Arthur Morris joked as to where his nappies were! Simpson was grateful to another Aussie legend, vice-captain Neil Harvey, for his climb to the top. On Harvey's advice he tried opening the batting to replace Jim Burke, who had retired. When he found runs getting difficult he took Harvey's help, who advised the youngster that he was playing too square-on while defending on the back foot. He became one of the most consistent openers at Test level. In 62 Tests from 1957 to 1978 he amassed 4869 runs at an average of 46.81, hitting 10 centuries – his highest score being 311 against England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1964. He also took 71 wickets at 42.26 (grabbing five wickets in an innings twice, his best spell being five for 57) and 110 catches. He was an astute rather than a dynamic captain. Simpson's 311 in the Old Trafford Test took 760 minutes, and he was criticised for his slow batting. The Daily Mail called it the 'murder of Test cricket'. At one stage, six journalists in the press box were seen dozing while he was batting. Simpson defended his tactics, asserting that with a series lead, batting England out of the match was the best way to retain the Ashes. In that same Test, he added 201 runs for the opening wicket with Bill Lawry. They did even better in the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1964, when they put on 382 runs for the first wicket, skipper Simpson scoring 201 and Lawry 210. They became the first opening pair to register double centuries in the same Test innings. Between them, they added 3596 runs in Tests at an average of 61. Simpson became the second Australian, after Don Bradman, to make a Test triple century in England. He was also the second batsman after Garry Sobers to record a triple century as his first Test hundred. A prolific scorer, Simpson recorded another triple century in first-class cricket: 359 for NSW against Queensland at Brisbane in 1963-64. He was also a strict but inspiring coach like Justin Langer. When Australia was looking for a full-time coach in the mid-1980s, Simpson was the Australian Cricket Board's choice. He gave Allan Border's team a taste of the discipline to which he had always submitted himself as a player. To quote writer Gideon Haigh, 'A martinet where fitness, fielding and batting technique were concerned, he held the job for a controversial but successful decade, during which time the team won the World Cup and regained both the Ashes and the Frank Worrell Trophy.' Simmo remained Australia's coach until he was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996. Under Simpson as coach, Australia improved from being a weak team to the strongest in the world. Apart from winning the 1987 World Cup, Australia regained the Ashes in England in 1989 and defeated the then-invincible West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. Simpson later coached English counties Leicestershire and Lancashire, and also Rajasthan in India. I was privileged to sit next to Bob Simpson and his daughter Debbie at a function held by the Cricketers' Club of NSW in 1984, for the Richie Benaud Award for the Best Under-19 cricketer of the year. When schoolboy Mark Waugh won, Simpson was full of praise for the then 18-year-old Mark and his twin brother Steve. When I finished my book The Waugh Twins in 1998, I requested Bob write a foreword. He readily agreed, starting with: 'First, as the book is by Kersi Meher-Homji, I know it will be accurate, honest and a very good read. Secondly, the Waugh twins were a major part of my life for over a decade and I had the good fortune to be able to see and perhaps oversee their development from talented youngsters to champions.' His own biography, Simpson's Safari, was authored by R.S. Whitington in 1967. Simpson also wrote several books – my favourites being Simmo (1979) and Captain's Story (1966). He said of his career: 'It took me many years to become an overnight success.' Loading Simpson was made Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965 and inducted as Order of Australia (AO) in 1985. He was also made Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE). He dedicated his autobiography, Simmo, to his wife and two daughters: 'To my three girls – Meg, Kim and Debbie'. Kim is married to former Test cricketer and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Former Australian cricket captain and coach Bob Simpson dies aged 89
Former Australian men's Test cricket captain Bob Simpson has died aged 89. The cricketer, who was born in Sydney in 1936, played 62 Tests for Australia, scoring 4,689 runs — with 10 centuries and 27 50s — and taking 71 wickets. He made his Test debut against South Africa in Johannesburg in 1957, and his first century came in an Ashes Test at Old Trafford in 1964 — Simpson went on to score 311. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was among the first to pay tribute to Simpson. He is one of only seven Australians to make a triple-century. Simpson captained Australia in 39 Tests in three stints between 1963 and 1978. After nearly a decade away from Test cricket, he was called out of retirement after the arrival of World Series Cricket in 1977. He played a home series against India, and a tour against the West Indies in the Caribbean. He went on to coach the national team for more than a decade — under his mentorship, Australia rebounded to win the 1986 Cricket World Cup, several Ashes series, including the regaining of the urn in England in 1989, and winning the Frank Worrell Trophy for the first time in 1995, beating the West Indies in the Caribbean. After stepping down from the role in 1996, Simpson was a consultant to the Indian national team in the late 90s, and coached the Netherlands national team for a period. He received numerous honours, including his induction into the Australian Sporting Hall of Fame in 1985, to the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2006, and the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame in 2013. He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1978, and an Officer of the order in 2007.
