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Daily Maverick
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
WTC final is a moment for Test cricket to shine in a bustling world
Australia and South Africa will contest the third staging of the World Test Championship Final at Lord's, starting on Wednesday. The World Test Championship (WTC) might be the most convoluted 'World Cup' in sport, given the unique nature of five-day cricket and the impossible task of shoehorning it neatly into a 30-40-day package. But over the past two years, in this WTC cycle, the last two standing are South Africa and Australia. The cycle has thrown up a rivalry that has produced some of the best and most controversial Test cricket of the 21st century, which adds to its drama. Yes, the tournament structure is not equal, or even equitable, given the routes the two teams came through to reach the one-off final at Lord's, but how could they be in this format? South Africa played 12 matches in the cycle, while Australia played 19 (see explanation below). They didn't play the same opponents and series' were not equal in terms of number of matches. The structure of the WTC has been criticised, even by Wisden, cricket's unofficial holy book. The scepticism over the format is valid, but there is no perfect solution for an imperfect format that requires one aspect more than most sports – time. Survival Test cricket, in broad terms, is on life support thanks to the rise of T20 leagues, and the iron grip on the game's economics by India, and to a lesser extent Australia and England. At the start of the century there were nine capable Test playing nations with Zimbabwe on the cusp of becoming great. As the game evolved into a shorter contest, and the big three took financial control of the sport, the likes of Zimbabwe, which had its own internal issues, were cast off. A recent study and subsequent publication of the Global Game Structure Report by the World Cricketers' Association (WCA) found the current cricketing structure to be 'chaotic and confusing'. The report warned that it was vital to protect the traditions of cricket with the need to adapt to a changing world. Test cricket is the format under most threat. The report proposed a global calendar with designated scheduling windows, of four 21-day blocks, which are specific periods in the year when 'core international cricket' is prioritised. That is another way of saying 'Test cricket must be given clear space.' It's an interesting proposal. Yet, despite pressure from white ball cricket, the longest, purest, hardest, most inaccessible, and yet most absorbing form of the game still exists. It shouldn't exist, in a world of one-minute soundbites and videos, and where a 240-character social media post is considered enough to settle complex geopolitical arguments. Yet it does. Test cricket belongs more to the 19th century, never mind the 21st, but that only makes it more worthy of preservation. Maybe it's the one sport that can restore some civility and patience in the world by making people slow down, watch, and enjoy a narrative unfolding over days. The foibles of the WTC qualification process notwithstanding, this final is important to Australia and South Africa. But it's also a vital moment for the sport to tip its cap to the past, and give a nod to the future, acknowledging the foundation that gave us T20 cricket, while championing the relevance of a five-day contest. Criticism The Proteas have borne the brunt of the criticism for making the final, via a supposedly less challenging road. That is open to debate. The reality though, is that when it really mattered, when their backs were to the wall after a slow start to the current cycle, South Africa won six Tests in a row. They earned the right to be there. Proteas coach Shukri Conrad became testy this week at the line of interrogation, questioning South Africa's credentials as worthy WTC finalists. 'I'm tired of speaking about it, to be honest,' Conrad said before a training session on Monday. 'We're here and that's all that matters. We get a chance to walk away as the World Test champions, playing Australia. It doesn't get any bigger than that. What's gone before counts for absolutely nothing at the minute.' Economics meant that South Africa's top Test players stayed at home to compete in the 2024 SA20 rather than tour New Zealand for three Tests at the beginning of the current WTC qualification cycle. That's a direct result of the game being dominated by the big three, and an example of the sacrifices the likes of South Africa had to make. Reaching the WTC Final, in that context, is perhaps a much greater achievement than it appears. Australia captain Pat Cummins, in an extensive interview with the Guardian, admitted to some surprise to being up against the Proteas at Lord's. 'In some ways you expect India to be around. England have been quite strong at home and New Zealand always seem to get to finals. But the same case could be made for South Africa in ICC events. We just don't see a lot of them in Test cricket but it's nice and different to an Australia-India final,' Cummins told The Guardian. 'You can only beat who you come up against. Our route to the final was pretty tough, but I don't blame South Africa for having a different route.' Not all paths are the same, but these two teams have converged on Lord's in a match that should remind a bustling world that sometimes, slower is better. DM WTC FINAL QUALIFICATION BREAKDOWN 1. The League Stage (2023-2025) Participating Teams: Nine out of the 12 Test-playing nations participate in each WTC cycle. Each team plays six series – three at home and three away – against different opponents. The number of matches in each series can vary from two to five. Points System: Points for a Win: 12 points Points for a Tie: 6 points Points for a Draw: 4 points Points for a Loss: 0 points Percentage of Points (PCT) System: This is the crucial factor for ranking. Teams are ranked based on the percentage of points won out of the total points available from the matches they've played. This system was introduced to account for the unequal number of matches played by different teams due to scheduling complexities. 2. Road to the final for Australia and South Africa South Africa finished first in the league stage based on their percentage of points (69.44%). Their journey included: Started with a 1-1 drawn series against India at home. A 2-0 series defeat to New Zealand (when most front line players stayed home to compete in SA20). A 1-0 series win in the West Indies. Consecutive 2-0 wins against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. A 2-0 home series win against Pakistan, including a decisive two-wicket victory that sealed their final spot. Australia (Defending Champions) finished second with a percentage of points of 67.54%. Their path involved: Starting with a 2-2 drawn Ashes series in England. A 3-0 home whitewash against Pakistan. A 1-1 home draw against the West Indies, which included a surprising loss. A 2-0 away sweep against New Zealand. A 3-1 home series win against India in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which secured their spot in the final. They closed out their campaign with a 2-0 win over Sri Lanka.
The Advertiser
03-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
CA boss Greenberg's vow to protect Aussie Test summer
New Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg has vowed to protect the sanctity of the Test summer, adamant it must be safeguarded during a time of debate about the global calendar. Officials were expecting the biggest pre-sale event in Australia since Taylor Swift's Eras tour when tickets for this summer's matches became available on Tuesday. That interest is buoyed by an Ashes series headlined by the arrival of England's Bazball mentality, along with Australia's white-ball matches against crowd-pullers India. But Greenberg is well aware the success of the red-ball game in Australia, India and England is at odds with most of the world, and this summer comes at a critical time for the sport. The World Cricketers' Association this year presented the ICC with a proposed model for the sport's future, recommending ways to protect the international game. Included in it were recommendations for four 21-day international windows with no franchise T20 cricket taking place from 2028, in a model similar to world football. Windows would also be scheduled for ICC events, while other international cricket outside those periods would remain in direct competition with lucrative T20 leagues. This Australian men's home international schedule runs from August to January, while a minimum six-week window is realistically always required to fit in the five home Tests. "We've got to protect what's sacrosanct to Australians, which is pretty obviously the Test match summer period," Greenberg told AAP. "We've enjoyed that over a period of time and it is getting stronger and stronger. "You have to make sure that you have a protection view of what your revenue drivers are. "And unashamedly, men's red-ball cricket is a significant revenue driver for our partners, for both our broadcasters and also through ticket sales." Greenberg, who moved from players' union boss to Cricket Australia CEO in March, takes an open-minded approach to any global discussions. Cricket Australia has a broadcast deal in place until 2031, while the global calendar is so far only locked in until March 2027. It's unlikely any introduction of windows would impact marquee series like the Ashes or Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the wealth of the big-three nations. But it is unclear what impact it could potentially have on player availability for other nations outside of the international widows, and if it would give franchises more power. "You absolutely try to maximise those rivalries, whether it's against India or against England in the Ashes this year," Greenberg said. "But also we want to bring other countries to the mix. "We want to make sure that New Zealand and Pakistan and South Africa have opportunities to play against us both here and away. "That's part of the challenge of making sure you find a calendar that can accommodate all those things. "It is a very delicate balancing exercise, trying to make sure that you get that part of the system right." Australia's five Tests against India last summer broke records for average daily attendances. Registrations for the June 3-13 pre-sale window for the summer are already significantly up on last year, with Greenberg ready to use Bazball as an Ashes marketing tool. "We're in the business of entertainment. So we'd be crazy not to market that," Greenberg said. "We've had twice as many individuals register for the pre-sale than we had for this time last year. "That gives you some indication about how big I think the Ashes will be this year for the five Tests." New Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg has vowed to protect the sanctity of the Test summer, adamant it must be safeguarded during a time of debate about the global calendar. Officials were expecting the biggest pre-sale event in Australia since Taylor Swift's Eras tour when tickets for this summer's matches became available on Tuesday. That interest is buoyed by an Ashes series headlined by the arrival of England's Bazball mentality, along with Australia's white-ball matches against crowd-pullers India. But Greenberg is well aware the success of the red-ball game in Australia, India and England is at odds with most of the world, and this summer comes at a critical time for the sport. The World Cricketers' Association this year presented the ICC with a proposed model for the sport's future, recommending ways to protect the international game. Included in it were recommendations for four 21-day international windows with no franchise T20 cricket taking place from 2028, in a model similar to world football. Windows would also be scheduled for ICC events, while other international cricket outside those periods would remain in direct competition with lucrative T20 leagues. This Australian men's home international schedule runs from August to January, while a minimum six-week window is realistically always required to fit in the five home Tests. "We've got to protect what's sacrosanct to Australians, which is pretty obviously the Test match summer period," Greenberg told AAP. "We've enjoyed that over a period of time and it is getting stronger and stronger. "You have to make sure that you have a protection view of what your revenue drivers are. "And unashamedly, men's red-ball cricket is a significant revenue driver for our partners, for both our broadcasters and also through ticket sales." Greenberg, who moved from players' union boss to Cricket Australia CEO in March, takes an open-minded approach to any global discussions. Cricket Australia has a broadcast deal in place until 2031, while the global calendar is so far only locked in until March 2027. It's unlikely any introduction of windows would impact marquee series like the Ashes or Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the wealth of the big-three nations. But it is unclear what impact it could potentially have on player availability for other nations outside of the international widows, and if it would give franchises more power. "You absolutely try to maximise those rivalries, whether it's against India or against England in the Ashes this year," Greenberg said. "But also we want to bring other countries to the mix. "We want to make sure that New Zealand and Pakistan and South Africa have opportunities to play against us both here and away. "That's part of the challenge of making sure you find a calendar that can accommodate all those things. "It is a very delicate balancing exercise, trying to make sure that you get that part of the system right." Australia's five Tests against India last summer broke records for average daily attendances. Registrations for the June 3-13 pre-sale window for the summer are already significantly up on last year, with Greenberg ready to use Bazball as an Ashes marketing tool. "We're in the business of entertainment. So we'd be crazy not to market that," Greenberg said. "We've had twice as many individuals register for the pre-sale than we had for this time last year. "That gives you some indication about how big I think the Ashes will be this year for the five Tests." New Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg has vowed to protect the sanctity of the Test summer, adamant it must be safeguarded during a time of debate about the global calendar. Officials were expecting the biggest pre-sale event in Australia since Taylor Swift's Eras tour when tickets for this summer's matches became available on Tuesday. That interest is buoyed by an Ashes series headlined by the arrival of England's Bazball mentality, along with Australia's white-ball matches against crowd-pullers India. But Greenberg is well aware the success of the red-ball game in Australia, India and England is at odds with most of the world, and this summer comes at a critical time for the sport. The World Cricketers' Association this year presented the ICC with a proposed model for the sport's future, recommending ways to protect the international game. Included in it were recommendations for four 21-day international windows with no franchise T20 cricket taking place from 2028, in a model similar to world football. Windows would also be scheduled for ICC events, while other international cricket outside those periods would remain in direct competition with lucrative T20 leagues. This Australian men's home international schedule runs from August to January, while a minimum six-week window is realistically always required to fit in the five home Tests. "We've got to protect what's sacrosanct to Australians, which is pretty obviously the Test match summer period," Greenberg told AAP. "We've enjoyed that over a period of time and it is getting stronger and stronger. "You have to make sure that you have a protection view of what your revenue drivers are. "And unashamedly, men's red-ball cricket is a significant revenue driver for our partners, for both our broadcasters and also through ticket sales." Greenberg, who moved from players' union boss to Cricket Australia CEO in March, takes an open-minded approach to any global discussions. Cricket Australia has a broadcast deal in place until 2031, while the global calendar is so far only locked in until March 2027. It's unlikely any introduction of windows would impact marquee series like the Ashes or Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the wealth of the big-three nations. But it is unclear what impact it could potentially have on player availability for other nations outside of the international widows, and if it would give franchises more power. "You absolutely try to maximise those rivalries, whether it's against India or against England in the Ashes this year," Greenberg said. "But also we want to bring other countries to the mix. "We want to make sure that New Zealand and Pakistan and South Africa have opportunities to play against us both here and away. "That's part of the challenge of making sure you find a calendar that can accommodate all those things. "It is a very delicate balancing exercise, trying to make sure that you get that part of the system right." Australia's five Tests against India last summer broke records for average daily attendances. Registrations for the June 3-13 pre-sale window for the summer are already significantly up on last year, with Greenberg ready to use Bazball as an Ashes marketing tool. "We're in the business of entertainment. So we'd be crazy not to market that," Greenberg said. "We've had twice as many individuals register for the pre-sale than we had for this time last year. "That gives you some indication about how big I think the Ashes will be this year for the five Tests."
West Australian
03-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
CA boss Greenberg's vow to protect Aussie Test summer
New Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg has vowed to protect the sanctity of the Test summer, adamant it must be safeguarded during a time of debate about the global calendar. Officials were expecting the biggest pre-sale event in Australia since Taylor Swift's Eras tour when tickets for this summer's matches became available on Tuesday. That interest is buoyed by an Ashes series headlined by the arrival of England's Bazball mentality, along with Australia's white-ball matches against crowd-pullers India. But Greenberg is well aware the success of the red-ball game in Australia, India and England is at odds with most of the world, and this summer comes at a critical time for the sport. The World Cricketers' Association this year presented the ICC with a proposed model for the sport's future, recommending ways to protect the international game. Included in it were recommendations for four 21-day international windows with no franchise T20 cricket taking place from 2028, in a model similar to world football. Windows would also be scheduled for ICC events, while other international cricket outside those periods would remain in direct competition with lucrative T20 leagues. This Australian men's home international schedule runs from August to January, while a minimum six-week window is realistically always required to fit in the five home Tests. "We've got to protect what's sacrosanct to Australians, which is pretty obviously the Test match summer period," Greenberg told AAP. "We've enjoyed that over a period of time and it is getting stronger and stronger. "You have to make sure that you have a protection view of what your revenue drivers are. "And unashamedly, men's red-ball cricket is a significant revenue driver for our partners, for both our broadcasters and also through ticket sales." Greenberg, who moved from players' union boss to Cricket Australia CEO in March, takes an open-minded approach to any global discussions. Cricket Australia has a broadcast deal in place until 2031, while the global calendar is so far only locked in until March 2027. It's unlikely any introduction of windows would impact marquee series like the Ashes or Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the wealth of the big-three nations. But it is unclear what impact it could potentially have on player availability for other nations outside of the international widows, and if it would give franchises more power. "You absolutely try to maximise those rivalries, whether it's against India or against England in the Ashes this year," Greenberg said. "But also we want to bring other countries to the mix. "We want to make sure that New Zealand and Pakistan and South Africa have opportunities to play against us both here and away. "That's part of the challenge of making sure you find a calendar that can accommodate all those things. "It is a very delicate balancing exercise, trying to make sure that you get that part of the system right." Australia's five Tests against India last summer broke records for average daily attendances. Registrations for the June 3-13 pre-sale window for the summer are already significantly up on last year, with Greenberg ready to use Bazball as an Ashes marketing tool. "We're in the business of entertainment. So we'd be crazy not to market that," Greenberg said. "We've had twice as many individuals register for the pre-sale than we had for this time last year. "That gives you some indication about how big I think the Ashes will be this year for the five Tests."
Perth Now
03-06-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
CA boss Greenberg's vow to protect Aussie Test summer
New Cricket Australia boss Todd Greenberg has vowed to protect the sanctity of the Test summer, adamant it must be safeguarded during a time of debate about the global calendar. Officials were expecting the biggest pre-sale event in Australia since Taylor Swift's Eras tour when tickets for this summer's matches became available on Tuesday. That interest is buoyed by an Ashes series headlined by the arrival of England's Bazball mentality, along with Australia's white-ball matches against crowd-pullers India. But Greenberg is well aware the success of the red-ball game in Australia, India and England is at odds with most of the world, and this summer comes at a critical time for the sport. The World Cricketers' Association this year presented the ICC with a proposed model for the sport's future, recommending ways to protect the international game. Included in it were recommendations for four 21-day international windows with no franchise T20 cricket taking place from 2028, in a model similar to world football. Windows would also be scheduled for ICC events, while other international cricket outside those periods would remain in direct competition with lucrative T20 leagues. This Australian men's home international schedule runs from August to January, while a minimum six-week window is realistically always required to fit in the five home Tests. "We've got to protect what's sacrosanct to Australians, which is pretty obviously the Test match summer period," Greenberg told AAP. "We've enjoyed that over a period of time and it is getting stronger and stronger. "You have to make sure that you have a protection view of what your revenue drivers are. "And unashamedly, men's red-ball cricket is a significant revenue driver for our partners, for both our broadcasters and also through ticket sales." Greenberg, who moved from players' union boss to Cricket Australia CEO in March, takes an open-minded approach to any global discussions. Cricket Australia has a broadcast deal in place until 2031, while the global calendar is so far only locked in until March 2027. It's unlikely any introduction of windows would impact marquee series like the Ashes or Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with the wealth of the big-three nations. But it is unclear what impact it could potentially have on player availability for other nations outside of the international widows, and if it would give franchises more power. "You absolutely try to maximise those rivalries, whether it's against India or against England in the Ashes this year," Greenberg said. "But also we want to bring other countries to the mix. "We want to make sure that New Zealand and Pakistan and South Africa have opportunities to play against us both here and away. "That's part of the challenge of making sure you find a calendar that can accommodate all those things. "It is a very delicate balancing exercise, trying to make sure that you get that part of the system right." Australia's five Tests against India last summer broke records for average daily attendances. Registrations for the June 3-13 pre-sale window for the summer are already significantly up on last year, with Greenberg ready to use Bazball as an Ashes marketing tool. "We're in the business of entertainment. So we'd be crazy not to market that," Greenberg said. "We've had twice as many individuals register for the pre-sale than we had for this time last year. "That gives you some indication about how big I think the Ashes will be this year for the five Tests."
Powys County Times
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Powys County Times
WCA concerned players cannot make ‘informed decisions' over return to IPL action
The World Cricketers' Association has expressed concern over a lack of transparency over security arrangements at the Indian Premier League, leaving players struggling to make 'informed decisions' over returning. The IPL and the Pakistan Super League were paused last week as military hostilities between the two nations escalated sharply, but a ceasefire means both tournaments have announced plans to resume. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) plans to hold its final 17 games between May 17 and June 3, in six approved venues, with franchises now attempting to reassemble their playing squads. 🗓️ #TATAIPL 2025 action is all set to resume on 17th May 🙌 The remaining League-Stage matches will be played across 6⃣ venues 🏟️ The highly anticipated Final will take place on 3rd June 🏆 Details 🔽 — IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 12, 2025 There are 10 English players among the overseas contingent who must decide whether to fly back just days after leaving as tensions spiked in the region. Their number includes former white-ball captain Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethell and Phil Salt, all of whom have the additional issue of a potential clash with the revised knockout stages and England's ODI series against the West Indies. Opinion among overseas players is understood to be split and Tom Moffat, chief executive of the global players' union, is worried about the flow of information from organisers. He told the PA news agency: 'With respect to the IPL, without players and their national governing bodies having oversight and engagement on security arrangements, it's difficult for players to make fully informed decisions. 'This engagement would normally happen efficiently through the players' chosen representatives as players are not security experts and nor should they be expected to simply trust the system. 'We know there are differing levels of comfort from individual players and given the unique circumstances there would be an expectation from all reasonable people in our sport that any decision made by players should not be held against them. 'Cricket is secondary to the health and safety of the people in both countries, including the players competing in both tournaments.' The latter point appears to pertain to the IPL's recent rule changes that penalise players who pull out of the tournament for reasons other than injury by banning them from subsequent editions. It is not yet clear if that would be applied in the current circumstances. PA understands the Professional Cricketers' Association has hosted regular calls with those affected and had scheduled another for Tuesday, reflecting new independent security advice. Rob Key, director of men's cricket at the England and Wales Cricket Board, has yet to announce whether English players will be available for the entirety of the new IPL schedule, leaving open the possibility of a clash for those who would otherwise have featured in the squad to face the West Indies. Buttler, Salt, Bethell, Will Jacks, Reece Topley and Liam Livingstone could all be caught up in that conundrum. Moffat, meanwhile, is happier with the plans for the PSL resumption, stating the Pakistan Cricket Board had 'engaged positively with players and their representatives on restart arrangements'. The competition will restart on the same day as the IPL, May 17, and conclude eight days later. With just eight matches in total still to play, it is even more doubtful that foreign players, including seven from England, will be tempted back. PCB chair Mohsin Naqvi announced the news on X, posting: 'HBL PSL X picks up from where it left off! Six teams, zero fear. Let the aura take over as we unite and celebrate the spirit of cricket. Best of luck to all the teams!'
