Whereas the gang at Lord’s loved a basic day of Take a look at cricket as New Zealand batters confirmed impeccable temperament with the bat in opposition to England on the 2nd day of the continued 1st Take a look at, ICC chief Greg Barclay, who was in attendance, has cautioned that the variety of matches within the longest format would possibly scale back within the close to future.
Barclay, who will full his two-year time period in December this 12 months, has solid doubts over the quantity of Take a look at cricket in coming years because of the emergence of home franchise leagues. The New Zealander revealed that it has turn into more and more troublesome to squeeze bilateral collection between Take a look at cricket and franchise leagues.
“The expansion of home leagues are forcing issues from the underside and … what’s getting squeezed is bilateral cricket, and so we are attempting to suit all the pieces in,” Barclay informed the BBC’s Take a look at Match Particular.
“There shall be some unlucky penalties from a taking part in expertise and a income standpoint for a few of these nations who gained’t get the quantity of cricket they may hope to have they usually gained’t get publicity, significantly in opposition to India and to a lesser extent Australia and England. So we are going to see a squeeze. In 10-15 years’ time, I nonetheless see Take a look at cricket being an integral half (of the sport) – it might be that there’s much less of it,” the ICC chief added.
White-ball cricket, short-form cricket, is the best way of the longer term, says Barclay
The ICC chief stated that the smaller nations will extra probably get a lowered variety of Take a look at cricket whereas the large three nations, India, England, and Australia, will stay largely unaffected. The New Zealander additionally remarked that it’s the shortest format of the sport that’s attracting the followers and cash to the cricket and it will likely be the dominant power within the recreation sooner or later with even the broadcasters extra all for shorter types of the game.
“Some nations could must make room and play much less Take a look at cricket. A few of the smaller full members must settle for that they’ll’t play the quantity of Take a look at cricket that they needed to, so we may even see a lessening of that – 4 or 5 a 12 months – whereas England, Australia, and India, I believe, shall be taking part in Take a look at cricket as they’re now.
“Should you have a look at strategically the best way that cricket goes, there’s little question that white-ball cricket, short-form cricket, is the best way of the longer term. That’s the sport that’s wanted by followers, that’s the place the broadcasters are placing their useful resource, it’s what’s driving the cash,” Barclay additional stated.
