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Jeetan Patel, Grant Elliot and Ross Taylor - Source: Photosport -
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Never has the proverb 'three's a crowd' seemed more relevant as one-day internationals threaten to fade into obscurity, writes tvnz.co.nz's Chris Matthews.
Australia's captain Ricky Ponting conceded this week that eventually either one-day cricket or Twenty20 would take a lesser role in itineraries and all evidence is pointing the former.
It would have been inconceivable before the 2007 World Cup that one-day cricket would become a distant memory, but like a belligerent opening batsman that denied his demise, it is inevitable that the last supper is near.
Money talks, bums on seats matter and those bums want to be entertained.
The packed house at Eden Park on Boxing Day for the first Twenty20 international (albeit, minus the south stand) was a sight New Zealand Cricket can't overlook.
While the 60,000 plus crammed into the MCG on Tuesday night is expected to comfortably surpass the crowd for the first one-day international on Friday night.
The death of the Tri Nations in the great land this year in favour for two five-match series against South Africa and New Zealand smacks of concessions and the money-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) is now seen as a permanent fixture on the cricket calendar.
One of the only pull-factors in favour of retaining one day internationals is the rich history of the nine World Cups but the 2007 episode in the West Indies has indeed faded some of the equity and mystic.
Of course the death of Test cricket has been screamed from all corners - several times - since Kerry Packer and his honchos dressed up the world's leading cricketers in pyjamas in the 1970s.
But with those captivating series of 2008 still fresh in the memory it seems the only possible demise is that cricket game awkwardly stuck in the middle.
Like a middle child, one-day cricket lacks the fresh cuteness of the Twenty20 game and can only dream of the command that the older sibling has enjoyed for well over one hundred years.
Do you agree with Chris Matthews? Feel free to comment below.
Add a Comment:
Post new commentcoconutruff4 said on 2009-01-17 @ 14:35 NZDT: Report abusive post
people wur walkn out after the 10th ova in some of the games, the plot had already come and gone, and we just gettn settled in, there is a place, for both, because its good watchn people playn straight bat shots, its not baseball. Ask yourself , ?do u want sex thats crash bang boom, or let ride, long live the 1 day game, thats just not cricket.............coconutruff
coconutruff4 said on 2009-01-17 @ 14:31 NZDT: Report abusive post
I wud luv to see 1 day cricket stay, if n.e body that watch the game between the proteas and aussie last nite had an entertaining nite, because there was twist and plots in it, proteas started shaky, then steady, and cruising then had a hiccup for a few overs, and just making the line, at the death, was like watchn a suspense thriller, where as in 20/20 if a few struggle to get in then a couple of wickets fall, then the game can be ova by the tenth ova. watchn the 20/20 big bash in oz
the swedish ref said on 2009-01-17 @ 00:53 NZDT: Report abusive post
I agree, a shame cos i grew up with ODIs, but then we didn't have twenty20 the old purists that control the boards will retain test cricket as the pinnacle at least for the next 20 years. BUT i would like to see NZ Cricket admit the game's dwindling popularity by investing in venues that suit the crowd: how about a boxing day test in Alexandra? followed by a new years test in Nelson? followed by a series decider in Napier? give test cricket to the small holiday crowds & watch the passion return
kiwibeca said on 2009-01-16 @ 19:16 NZDT: Report abusive post
Test Cricket is proper Cricket, so I can't see that dissaperaing any time soon. Twenty20 Cricket does have it's place, and it is very entertainging and all that, but to suggest that it'll push the One Dayer the way of the Dodo is absurd. There's no real technique involved in T20, it's all 6 hitting and Run outs etc, whereas Technique and Strategy is an important part of the One Dayer. I do feel that they can continue to pecefully co-exist alongside each other.
jeremyhobbs21@hotmail.com said on 2009-01-16 @ 18:24 NZDT: Report abusive post
I think getting Rid of 50 over ODI would be a terrible shame. Reason i state this is simple. ODI Cricket is a great way to spend the day. Take a few mates, take the day off work and goto the cricket. Building an innings and scoring a century is a real accomplishment and something that can only happy in 20/20 if the players slogs and gets lucky. 20/20 is entertaining sure, but it's "just not cricket". It doesnt have the elegance an ODI has. 20/20 will soon get very repetitive i guarantee it.