Future of 50 over cricket?

[Hondo]

Most of the panic about 20-20 has been about the risk it poses to Test Cricket. My gut feeling was that Test Cricket would be fine due to the status it holds with the players and the fans, but that ODIs were more at risk.

On Friday night on 5AA Shane Warne said the same. Now I know Warnie has a vested interest in 20-20 via the IPL however, given the status we hold him in, I thought his comments would make a useful thread starter. Super summary of his comments:

- Test cricket: Best form of game, truest test of a cricketer, not going anywhere
- 20/20: "rock 'n roll" form of the game, very entertaining and a great way of building the cricket brand world wide, here to stay
- 50 over cricket: now irrelevant, confusing for fans to have 3 forms of the game, crowds the cricket calendar, see you later ...

What are people's thoughts on this? Any special attachments to 50 over cricket that demand it stay? Would the 20/20 critics be happier about it if ODI's were sacrificed rather than Test cricket?

My personal view is that 50 over cricket has become mostly boring, is too long as a "shortened" form of the game and is now redundant. I see 20/20 as the evolution of ODIs. We should have test cricket and only one shortened form of the game.

[FlyingHigh]

Things certainly seem to be heading that way Hondo.

Perhaps after 35 years of "limited" cricket most tactics have been exhausted? And some of these tactics are to the detriment of the game itself, esp the way teams go through the motions in the 20-40 over period. Plus rules and conditions that made it too much of a batsmans games.

I still think 50 over cricket potentially has a lot to offer, maybe one of the problems is finding a relevant competition format? In the eighties it was all new and exciting, and the interest continued as Australia rose from the mire, but all the time it was Australia vs two other teams, and whilst for Australia trying to win each year was good, what did the other teams have to gain, it wasn't like they were going to be back next year for a crack at the same trophy like in the footy codes.
Perhaps a tri-series with SA, NZ and Aust every year or two, spread amongst the three countries, similar to the Rugby Union?


I find 20-20 cricket holds my attention for about 5 overs then I'm looking for something else to do.

Love tests, can watch them all day. Wish we still had Shieffield Shield games on Ch9.

[gadj1976]

I find it interesting that people, including the comment in the initial thread that 20/20 is here to stay. Why? After 5 or 10 years the format will be very very tired. God knows I'm tired of it already. What then? The 50 over format at least offers some type of tactical nous to be played out and I'm more inclined to watch 50 over cricket than I was before 20 over cricket appeared on the horizon. Yep, I may be in the minority, but I can see 20/20 cricket getting VERY boring, very quickly.

Therefore I see 50 over cricket staying around. I've said before that I believe there are too many competitions (like the one Australia are playing in today) that essentially mean nothing (hello pre season AFL competitions). Rid them from the landscape, make the 50 over cricket mean something, get 20/20 off the international circuit and take them back to domestic comps and the world (IMO) will be a better place.

[smac]

I find it interesting that people, including the comment in the initial thread that 20/20 is here to stay. Why?

TV $. As long as there are big $ on the TV deals (and the next one is going to be a doozy), then the control of the game played and viewed by the masses will not be entirely in control of cricket, but in the hands of innovators from all parties - TV, radio, internet and CA themselves.