Kinda half agree on that.
Not all due to the fielding side, admittedly - I don’t mind the idea that undue wastage of time on this would be taken off the batting side’s allowance (at least for fines, as you couldn’t do the fielder penalty the other way). But also just injuries and particularly DRS decisions - if you get two of those an innings on average, you’re almost losing ten minutes a game there, particularly if the tech is slow (like one game last week where they had to wait two minutes or more for Snicko to pop up!).
I do wonder whether one fielder coming inside the circle is enough penalty, but I don’t know how else you’d penalise them without pushing them into full-blown Powerplay mode (and in BBL that’d conflict with potentially being allowed to take the Power Surge in the last two overs; not an issue in internationals).
It does also bring back a runs penalty that used to be in T20s for time wasting - very originally, it was 6 penalty runs if you ran out of time.
The West Indies 10-over tournament, The 6ixty, took a fielder completely off the field if a team ran out of time, but that’s a bit too left-field to consider as an international playing condition.
Those feelings are about T20s of course but the trial does affect ODIs too, which might be accused of meandering even more.
Australia have thrashed Pakistan by 360 runs to claim the opening test match at Optus Stadium, inside four days. After Australia declared their second innings at 5/233, setting the winning target of 450, Pakistan folded for just 89. Nathan Lyon claimed his 500th test wicket when he trapped Faheem Ashraf lbw for five when the score was on 79.
Mitchell Marsh was named player of the match for scoring 90 and 63.
Mitch Starc has just broken the IPL auction price record.
Video
That's a GRAND return to the IPL for Mitchell Starc 😎
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) December 19, 2023
DO NOT MISS the record-breaking bid of the left-arm pacer who will feature for @KKRiders 💜💪#IPLAuction | #IPL pic.twitter.com/D1A2wr2Ql3
With a lot of the criticism of the crowds in Perth, it’s left me wondering what are some options to boost the crowds especially with the less popular/competitive teams like the Windies, Pakistan, Bangladesh.
My thoughts are that it would be good to perhaps try taking Test Cricket to smaller cities (at least a couple of hours out of the major metro areas) when these sides are touring- the grounds might not have quite the capacity of say an Optus Stadium or the Gabba but it would likely be a full house every day.
I’m thinking places like say Newcastle, Coffs Harbour, Bendigo, Townsville, Geraldton and Albury (although I have a vested interest in that one 
) that would never normally get a look in (assuming they have a ground is up to at least BBL grade).
This might mean that Adelaide/Perth/Hobart miss out some years, but this could be staggered to make sure it’s never more than a 24 month gap between Tests per major city (and a more popular/competitive side playing each time).
In a way it’s somewhat also a shame that the idea of “top end tests” in winter (Cairns, Townsville, Darwin etc), which was tried briefly, has probably been permanently snuffed out due to the IPL leaving barely enough time to fit things in everyone else’s summers.
I guess this is where the WACA wish that the redevelopment of the old ground went the way they wanted it, as 15k kinda sounds about right historically for a mid-rank team.
It does leave them in danger though - especially if the eventual new stadium in Hobart draws larger crowds. They are fortunate that true first-class grounds that CA and the ICC would accept are sparse though, beyond the usual six and maybe Canberra.
Adding, say, Newcastle would be too state-political even if it made sense numbers and grounds wise, and same with other regional venues like Geelong or Ballarat.
Newcastle doesn’t really have a suitable venue.
The main sporting venue is rectangular only, suitable really only for the rugby codes and soccer/football.
There is the No. 1 Sports Ground, but it is lucky to get a Shield game, let alone a BBL game from Sydney Thunder or Sixers.
That’s probably fair; yes they used the no.1 ground for Shield for a while historically but there is a reason why the Sixers bypass that for Coffs Harbour in the game they take up north.
The West Indies will come to Australia with 7️⃣ uncapped players in their Test squad! for the two-Test series against Australia. 🏏🌴#9WWOS #Cricket #AUSvWI pic.twitter.com/QqCbaKU2qL
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) December 20, 2023
… altercation with the fourth umpire in Launceston.
The incident took place during the pre-match warm up prior to Hurricanes-Sixers BBL match on December 11.
Just saw the post on the 7Cricket facebook page and saw the vision on The Spin after tonight BBL game. A big ban but definitely some intimidatory behaviour from Curran there and he was clearly told not to be on the pitch.
Lisa Sthalaeker just said that the last time something was graded at this level was sandpaper-gate so they’ve definitely treated it very seriously.
It’s not that easy mate, there are very few Test-accredited grounds.
UPDATE
That’s a fair call, however I do note that it doesn’t seem to stop New Zealand from playing international games in smaller cities and venues (case in point, today’s ODI in Napier-Hastings).
Of the ones I mentioned, Coffs Harbour, Townsville and Albury have all hosted BBL and would have the grounds most likely to be up to scratch. I’m also sure the potential incentive of international cricket would be enough to prompt some upgrades in other cities if the proposition was made.
Townsville received ICC accreditation in 2014 and has hosted numerous international matches since then. The most recent was Australia’s ODI series against Zimbabwe in August and September last year.
ICC has banned Usman Khawaja from displaying the peace dove symbol on his cricket shoes.
Tom Curran’s appeal against a four-game ban for an altercation with an umpire has been dismissed.
T20, ODI and Test accreditation are different levels. Plus, why would they take a Test out of a city when there’s only 5 in a season?
If attendance is consistently poor at a particular venue (doesn’t matter how big the city is) when certain teams play I don’t see why they should remain entitled to that Test permanently. As long as every state capital gets a game every 2 years I think that’s a fair compromise (when the bigger sides like England, India etc are touring).
There’s more to Australia than the state capitals and other countries (such as New Zealand and England) do a lot better at mixing it up and taking the game to more diverse venues.