Cricket Australia will reportedly shift this summer’s one-day internationals into an earlier afternoon timeslot in a desperate attempt to breathe life into the ailing Big Bash League.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the day-night ODI is dead, with this summer’s matches against South Africa to be scheduled so they are completed in time for a BBL match to be played that evening.
CA’s head of scheduling, Peter Roach, called it “creative scheduling” but it signals the end, at least for now, of another long-standing summer institution.
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Interest in the BBL has declined significantly, along with television ratings, since the competition was expanded to a full home-and-away schedule in the 2018-19 season.
CA is desperate to revive the fortunes of the BBL in time for a new broadcast deal, which will be in place for the 2024-25 season.
Getting Australia’s international stars to play in the BBL remains a challenge, given the overlap between the T20 competition and the commitments of the national team.
Perhaps of greater concern is the possibility, flagged by the Sydney Morning Herald last week, that former Brisbane Heat skipper Chris Lynn could opt to play in the UAE T10 league if he can’t find a BBL club willing to meet his pay demands.
This summer’s schedule is expected to be released in the next fortnight.
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