The Big Bash, would it work in Blighty?

Sydney Thunder (77/7 off 17 overs) lost to Hobart Hurricanes 84/5 with 21 balls to spare

Friday 9 January 2015

Spotless Stadium Sydney

Big Bash T20 Cricket

Twitter @ball_sup

Opportunistic venture at the beginning of my Australia trip to domestic T20 cricket.  I’ve watched a fair amount of Big Bash on Sky Sports in the UK.  It’s very conveniently timed for me, comes on the tele at 8am nearly every morning.

As you’d expect, the live event is better. Not least because I don’t have to listen to the Australian commentators. Straight out of 1974. I often turn the sound down at home. Now, I am aware of cultural differences & references. Celebrate the difference is my usual standpoint. But, the national stereotyping of overseas players on the Australian commentary is grating.  In my humble opinion, the West Indies players (Pollard, Badree, Bravo, Russell, Smith and notably Darren Sammy) cop it. They get up at 1pm and hit the pool (lazy). And are all good dancers in the nightclub (natural rhythm). I spent much of last (UK) Winter listening to one commentator insist that Michael Carberry looks like Wesley Snipes (all look the same).  I don’t want to be over critical of my Australian hosts - but sheeesh.

They are, correctly, proud of the success of Big Bash.  It is a) city, not State, based b) it is “franchised” c) there are some cross-city rivalries and d) it is played in a dedicated time window.

We don’t have ANY of those things in English domestic T20. Well, we do have the Birmingham Bears I’ll admit.  The Australian commentators (particularly when they have an English guest in the studio) suggest that England could/should copy the Australian Blueprint.  I've heard that Yorkshire Coach Jason Gillespie, ex-England Captain Michael Vaughan & Telegraph journo Nick Hoult feel the same.

The Window. You pay your money, you take your chance.  We have essentially already tried a dedicated window. But, we’ve currently settled on an “every Friday night” model. We’re doomed to switch between window and Friday invitation to view (my, how I hate that phrase) mode for the rest of eternity.

Cross City Rivalry. It takes 30 minutes to drive from Sydney Cricket Ground (home of the Sydney Sixers) to Spotless Stadium (home of the Sydney Thunder).  It’s only 1 hour 10 minutes from Yorkshire at Headingley to Lancashire at Old Trafford. And (on a good day), 30 minutes from Middlesex at Lord’s to the BrownHatters at The Oval.  I’ll argue that we already have historic, deep rooted and close rivalries. We don’t need to manufacture new cross city rivalries.

Franchise. Australia is an enormous country with few administrative regions (States). South Africa is an enormous country with few administrative regions (Provinces). The West Indies cover a large geographical area, with (relatively) few administrative regions (Countries).  England is a pissy little country, split into myriad administrative regions - for eg Counties. That is the real issue for England going down the City/Franchise model.  Australia have EXPANDED to 8 City teams from 6 first class cricket States. England would need to CONTRACT to (say London x2, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bristol, Cardiff) 8 City teams from 18 first class cricket Counties.  Some Turkeys would have to vote for Christmas.

And, we’re cheek by jowl over there in the Old Country.  I live in Sheffield. That’s 40 miles from Leeds. I’m NEVER going to support a team called LEEDS at Headingley. People in Liverpool in Lancashire are unlikely to want to support a team called MANCHESTER at Old Trafford. Just the way it is.

I'm a lost cause anyway. I watch an awful lot of 4/5 Day cricket. I only watch T20 opportunistically. I rarely schlep over to Headingley for T20 & the floodlights this year won't encourage me any more. Part of me would be happy to have the ECB shoot for the moon - I won't go, don't now. But, I'd be happy to see English Domestic cricket attract the mythical New Audience. 
I’m not criticising the Australian Model (although a team in Canberra would be nice). I’m not defending the English Model. I’m just saying there are realities which make a reduced (from 18) number of Franchised City Teams much more difficult in England.

Some rain around over Spotless. Reduced to 17 overs & a Duckworth/Lewis amended chase. Sydney Thunder never really got their innings going. A very low total, chased down with no histrionics.

Rain. Low score. Knock it around for ones & twos. Keep ahead of the rate. Tim Bresnan. Might as well have been YORKSHIRE Vikings at Headingley on a random Friday!

(67/171)