Strauss baffled by one-day decision
Sydney Morning Herald
Saturday September 5, 2009
BANISHING 50-over cricket from England's domestic schedule could have dire consequences for the team's World Cup campaigns, national captain Andrew Strauss has conceded.Clearly not a fan of his board's decision to axe 50-over cricket for a shortened 40-over format from next season, Strauss said domestic cricket should "mirror" internationals and believes one-dayers will survive in the face of mounting pressure to give Twenty20s precedence."Forty-over cricket is not radically different from 50-over cricket, but it just seems sensible to me that if you're playing 50-over cricket internationally and your domestic scene is a way of preparing people for international cricket, you should be playing the same game," Strauss said."At the moment there is a future to 50-over cricket. There are no plans that I've heard of to get rid of it. My personal view is that domestic cricket should mirror international cricket, so in that respect playing 40-over cricket is not ideal."South Africa had already reduced their domestic competition to 45 overs, and when the England and Wales Cricket Board voted last week to eradicate the 50-over game, it was received as a further nail in the coffin for one-day internationals.The International Cricket Council has already scheduled a further two one-day World Cups, in 2011 in the subcontinent, and 2015 in Australia, yet oddly England's limited-overs players will be playing the 40-over format to prepare.Many commentators have called for the demise of 50-over cricket to allow Twenty20 and Tests breathing space, but this year Australia are playing more one-dayers than any other format.They are at the start of a seven-match one-day series against England, after which is the Champions Trophy tournament in South Africa, followed by another seven-match series in India. They also play five matches each against West Indies and Pakistan during the home summer.England are fourth in the one-day rankings, but can overtake Australia in third place by winning this series 5-2.
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald