Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg says scarcity still key for Test series as tier system looms

West Australian

31-07-2025

New Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg says scarcity is still part of Test cricket's charm as the sport investigates splitting its best teams from the rest.
Greenberg is the nation's representative on a working group set up by the International Cricket Council to explore the proposal for a two-tier system in Test cricket.
That could see Australia play arch rivals England and India on a more regular basis, with little to no series against weaker nations.
The tiered system would be one of the most radical changes to the long-form of the sport in its history and would likely include the international landscape split into two divisions of six teams.
Greenberg will sit on the eight-person working group — established in an ICC meeting in Singapore earlier this month — which also includes England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Richard Gould and the world governing body's chief executive Sanjog Gupta.
There has been a resurgence in Test cricket's interest — particularly series between its three big teams — in the past two years and this summer's Ashes series in Australia has prompted unprecedented ticket sales.
Perth — which did not host a match in the COVID-ravaged Ashes of 2020/21 — has joined every other Test this summer in selling out the opening day.
Brisbane, Adelaide and Sydney have all sold out the first three days of their Test matches.
In an interview with The Nightly, Greenberg said one of the factors being considered was the risk of overloading fans with matches between the three powerhouse nations and removing some of the mystique around those key series.
'Completely. Finding the right balance of making sure Test cricket is played with meaning and purpose and that is creating scarcity and making sure you take advantage of that,' he said.
'I think the Ashes series is a very good example of that and Test cricket as well is a very good example of that. People know this is the one opportunity — over a four-year cycle — to see this competition and you get to see it up close and personal.
'That's why I think we are seeing the volume of ticket sales we have seen.'
A blow-up between Australia's two biggest rivals, England and India, during their Test series in the UK earlier this week thrust long-form cricket back into the headlines again and ramped up anticipation for the Ashes.
Greenberg said Cricket Australia didn't have a clear position on the two-tier proposal but was pleased it has a 'seat at the table'.
He also said creating jeopardy and meaning in all forms of cricket was one of the key goals of the new working group. That includes white-ball series outside of World Cups.
'We have got to answer some of these questions about the tiers of Test cricket and making sure we create jeopardy in T20s and ODIs going forward,' Greenberg said.
'We have certainly got jeopardy with T20s now with the Olympics in 2028 and we have made sure that every game layers up with the outcomes and qualification for the Olympics.
'I think they are all open challenges on us, but they are good challenges to have as a sport in this country. With lots of different competition from all different codes in summer and winter, we have this ability to have a global significance and as the national sport of this country what we've got to do is continue to grow.'
Cricket Australia this week released the key findings from an independent report into the potential for growth in the Big Bash League.
That included advice for the league's eight franchises to be opened up to private investment by selling minority stakes as well as a push for a clearer window for the domestic T20 competition to be played, allowing for Australia's Test stars to take part.