Chief executive Todd Greenberg urged curators to leave less grass on pitches. He also discussed the future of the Test schedule and possible sales of Big Bash League club stakes.
Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg has asked curators at major venues to prepare flatter pitches with less grass for the coming season. He made the request at the annual groundsmen’s conference in Durban, saying conditions have not always kept pace with changes in batting and the way the game is played.
Greenberg is concerned about Tests ending after only two days. The Sydney Morning Herald reported that three of Australia’s past seven Tests finished on the second day, including Ashes matches in Perth and Melbourne. The lost revenue from those matches was estimated at about A$15 million. Greenberg said an isolated short Test is manageable, but a sustained trend could hurt both cricket’s finances and the five-day format, including the possibility of a close draw.
The Sydney Test is contracted through 2032 under agreements with government and broadcasters, Greenberg said. What happens beyond that point remains open for discussion. Cricket Australia would like to preserve the current schedule but is prepared to consider alternatives.
Greenberg also said the Cricket Australia board had approved a process to sell stakes in Big Bash League clubs. The Renegades sale process is underway, with a conclusion expected before Christmas. Other states are considering selling up to 49 percent, but the model is voluntary. The process has faced disagreement among states; chair Mike Baird has resigned.
He addressed concerns from Ellyse Perry and Beth Mooney that women’s international cricket is being pushed to the margins of the Australian summer. Leading Australian players are in India in January for the Women’s Premier League. Greenberg said Australia does not want to compete with that tournament and is considering calendar changes, including a later start for the Big Bash League, to help grow the WBBL.