Cricket-Australia boss says tests could send nations 'bankrupt'
MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg says the traditional test format could push some cricket nations into financial ruin and the sport may be better off with fewer five-day matches.
Greenberg, who replaced Nick Hockley as CEO in March, said the future of test cricket may involve fewer nations and more investment in marquee series like the Ashes.
"I don't think everyone in world cricket needs to aspire to play test cricket, and that might be OK," Greenberg told reporters on Wednesday, marking 100 days before Australia host England in the Ashes.
"We're literally trying to send countries bankrupt if we force them to try to play test cricket."
Greenberg, the former head of the sport's players' union, said cricket boards needed to prioritise meaningful contests over volume.
"Scarcity in test cricket is our friend, not our foe," he said.
"We need to make sure we invest in the right spaces to play test cricket where it means something and has jeopardy.
"That's why the Ashes will be as enormous and profitable as it is — because it means something."
While the five-test Ashes series starting in Perth in late-November has seen record demand for tickets, the longest format is under siege from T20 cricket.
Mushrooming T20 franchise leagues offering lucrative player contracts are crowding out the global calendar and have prompted a slew of top players to give up tests and one-day internationals.
Though Australia maintains a bumper schedule of tests every home summer, it was also one of the earlier movers in T20, with the Big Bash League (BBL) set for its 15th season in December.
CA has resisted allowing private investment in BBL teams but Greenberg signalled the policy could be coming to an end following a review by Boston Consulting Group.
"It would be completely naive of us sitting here in Australia to not explore (privatisation)," he said.
"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."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Soccer-Isak standoff with Newcastle not ideal, says Howe
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Newcastle United v Everton - St James' Park, Newcastle, Britain - May 25, 2025 Newcastle United's Alexander Isak reacts after missing a chance to score Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith/File Photo (Reuters) -Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has admitted the cold war with wantaway striker Alexander Isak is far from ideal as his side prepare to start the Premier League season without their prolific goalscorer. The 25-year-old Sweden international, who has netted 62 goals in all competitions since arriving for a club record fee in 2022, appears to be determined to leave Newcastle in this transfer window. British media reported that champions Liverpool had a bid of 110 million pounds ($148.8 million) rejected for Isak, who scored 23 league goals last season as Newcastle finished fifth and qualified for the Champions League. Isak has been training away from the squad and is unlikely to feature in Newcastle's opening fixture at Aston Villa on Saturday. "It's not been ideal, I don't think it's been healthy for us, I'm not going to deny that. That's been a big, big challenge," Howe told the BBC. "For me, Alex is one of the, if not the best, strikers in the world, so to miss him from your squad is a huge gap. The situation's ongoing, but we'll have to find a way without him (at Villa Park)." Howe acknowledged that squad morale took a hit during pre-season when Isak trained alone at his old club Real Sociedad while Newcastle were on tour in Asia. "It was always going to be there when you've got a player that good, not part of your group. It's difficult for the players to fully understand it," Howe said. "But as time's gone on, there's been an acceptance that this is the squad and we've got to make the best of the situation. That's always been my train of thought. We have moved forward and the atmosphere of the group has been very good." ($1 = 0.7392 pounds) (Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Rugby-Old head O'Connor gets Schmidt backing following unlikely return
FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - Autumn International - Wales v Australia - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - November 20, 2021 Australia's James O'Connor misses a conversion Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -Injuries have given James O'Connor the chance to win a first Australia cap in three years in the Rugby Championship opener against South Africa on Saturday, but coach Joe Schmidt believes the flyhalf is ready to run the game. Injuries to Noah Lolesio, Tom Lynagh and Ben Donaldson have opened the door for O'Connor, 35, to make his first international appearance since 2022 in the cauldron of Ellis Park. There are few tougher places in world rugby to play. "The good thing with James is he came in right at the start of the Lions series," Schmidt said. "So he's had three weeks with us. "He's had a period to probably just assimilate himself into the systems that we run and to start gaining confidence that he could run the game, and the confidence of the players that he was a guy to listen to. He's done that really well, and that gives us confidence." O'Connor's return to the Wallabies set-up comes after a good season with the Canterbury Crusaders in Super Rugby Pacific. "I tracked him throughout Super Rugby while he was playing for the Crusaders, and I've seen him play for a number of years," Schmidt said. "He hasn't played for the Wallabies in three years, so he's pretty excited by that opportunity." There was another option open to the coaching team in 25-year-old Tane Edmed, who has one international cap, but the world champion Springboks on the Highveld are not the opposition to test out young talent on. "Tane's only just joined us," Schmidt said. "We've got a fair bit of confidence in Tane as well, he was on tour with us last year and made his Test debut, but he had a very disrupted Super Rugby season. "He didn't play a massive amount of minutes and didn't play consistently for the Waratahs, so we're just trying to balance all those things at the moment." (Reporting by Nick Said, editing by Ed Osmond)
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Tennis-Italian Berrettini withdraws from US Open
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 12, 2025 Italy's Matteo Berrettini in action during his round of 32 match against Norway's Casper Ruud REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigiel/File Photo (Reuters) -Former world number six Matteo Berrettini has withdrawn from the U.S. Open, tournament organisers said on Thursday. The Italian, currently ranked 59th, has not competed since a first-round lost at Wimbledon in June after he had recovered from an abdominal injury. Berretini skipped the Swiss Open in Gstaad, and the Masters 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati ahead of the Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows, where he reached the semi-finals in 2019. American Brandon Holt will take his place in the main draw of the U.S. Open, where singles action begins on August 24. (Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City, editing by Ed Osmond)
