"T20 is our lifeline" : David White (CEO of NZC)

[Aman]

New Zealand Cricket boss David White says that test cricket is a "challenge" for NZC in many respects, and it's largely because the T20 game has taken off over the past five years.

"From a financial point of view, it is a challenge with us for test match cricket, from a revenue point of view - broadcast and gates - but we are committed to test cricket."

However, while White concededes T20 is crucial for the game's health in New Zealand and isn't going anywhere, he's adamant NZC remains committed to the test game.

"We've got a test match competition starting with the ICC from 2019-20, which hopefully will re-ignite test cricket and give it context.

"Also initiatives like the day-night test match are important and already our pre-sales for that [against England at Eden Park] are unprecedented."

Full audio in link below

http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/on-air/veitch-on-sport/audio/david-white-t20-is-our-lifeline/

 

[maxamax]

Its coming to an end anyway. No sane person would play a sport for 5 days for years.

 

[Aman]

Its coming to an end anyway. No sane person would play a sport for 5 days for years.

No one would continue to play a sport if it's losing money, it's' inevitable that it will be phased out. Simply not sustainable in most countries that's why you hear drastic ideas like cutting down a day of cricket to keep it alive.

 

[bujhee kom]

Like it or not T20 is the future.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

There is nothing compared to test cricket in cricket. Only the 50 overs format has a few aspects which remind you of it, but the rest of the formats are just smash and go taking away the true battle of bat vs ball.

I know T20 or T10 can be fun especially the World T20, but what is cricket if there isn't any battle of ball vs bat left? Only in tests you find battles like raw pace vs class bat either surviving or making a breakthrough. In the shorter formats it's just swinging your bat at everything and for the bowlers it's bowling full lenghts or slower ones. Strategy and tactics become a lot less relevant as everyone knows what is needed. The reason someone like Gul was wonderful in T20's but awful in tests.

I know financially it's tough for the smaller boards, but cricket will lose its charm and become baseball v2.

 

[MMHS]

True.

My only hope is that they keep a balance in it, otherwise the game would lose it's originality.

 

[Aman]

True.

My only hope is that they keep a balance in it, otherwise the game would lose it's originality.

I've accepted it as the future, all I would like is some variety.

For the T20 WC, I would like the pitches to assist bowlers so we get close games of 130 v 130 or 150 v 150.

 

[Sin Nombre]

Like it or not T20 is the future.

It is not the future but the present for every board bar ECB.

 

[Sin Nombre]

I've accepted it as the future, all I would like is some variety.

For the T20 WC, I would like the pitches to assist bowlers so we get close games of 130 v 130 or 150 v 150.

Do you think there is enough schoolboy level interest in cricket for the sport to survive another generation in NZ?

 

[Aman]

It is not the future but the present for every board bar ECB.

We'll be getting more T20 tri series in the future I reckon.

I would love to see an annual T20 tri series between NZ, Aus and SA.

 

[Aman]

Do you think there is enough schoolboy level interest in cricket for the sport to survive another generation in NZ?

I wouldn't know.

I went to the nets last night and they were completely empty on a Saturday afternoon. Same time last year they were packed with kids and a couple of desi dads giving their sons throwdowns.

I think the buzz the WC created seems to weared off.

 

[troodon]

Though I like Test cricket, it is too long and I usually miss more than 50% of the match due to my job, family etc.

Time is crucial and Test cricket demands time. Worked well when people had loads of time to pass until mid 2000’s. Now people have lot more options for entertainment and nobody is going to site in front of tv or go to a venue to watch a game being played for 5 days. Half of the time it is boring too wither nothing happening.

 

[Sin Nombre]

I wouldn't know.

I went to the nets last night and they were completely empty on a Saturday afternoon. Same time last year they were packed with kids and a couple of desi dads giving their sons throwdowns.

That's just sad.

I know the popular opinion on PP is for BCCI to dole out cash to other boards to keep the game running but what would be a great initiative is if part of the IPL season was played in another country. The season played in SA was a fantastic advertisement for the game.

 

[Aman]

That's just sad.

I know the popular opinion on PP is for BCCI to dole out cash to other boards to keep the game running but what would be a great initiative is if part of the IPL season was played in another country. The season played in SA was a fantastic advertisement for the game.

It might not seem like a big deal, but these are like some of the best nets in the area and the area is pretty heavily populated. The nets belong to a local club but are accessible to the public. We were shocked we were the only ones there, the last few years we've either had to wait for one of them to open up or get stuck with the bad one. It was either an aberration or kids are moving onto something else.

We did see some Samoans playing Kilikiti across the street though.

 

[HuzaifaE]

Very disheartening to hear. Understandable nonetheless, but disheartening.

 

[austerlitz]

Cricket will never be cricket without test cricket.I believe test cricket should be played very sparingly,but when played played with intensity on good pitches with 4 match series.No more than 2 or max 3 series per year should be played.If test cricket is over,i wouldn't watch cricket anymore,how can you rate hacks?

 

[AamchiMumbaikar]

T20 is def the future but Test cricket is not going anywhere, let Aus/ Eng/ Ind tour NZ and see the difference. No one is asking you to stay for 5 days and watch ball by ball it is a leisure or pass time and a unique sport. It's not meant for masses and should not be globalized.

 

[Aman]

T20 is def the future but Test cricket is not going anywhere, let Aus/ Eng/ Ind tour NZ and see the difference. No one is asking you to stay for 5 days and watch ball by ball it is a leisure or pass time and a unique sport. It's not meant for masses and should not be globalized.

Means little, the best way forward IMO is a proper T20 league with Indian players and hope it takes off. They'll be big draws for Indian Kiwis.

 

[big_gamer007]

TBH I do like watching occasional test cricket but honestly the pitches these days have been horrific.. 2005 ashes which England won was a prime example of how test cricket pitches and competition between two teams should be.. If we get more and more series like those with great crowds, good competitive teams and bowlers and batsmen on par tests are worth watching..

But lately it’s mostly been home advantage and boring matches.. T20s are the future definitely no one got time for 5 days for a result of a boring match.

 

[CricketAnalyst]

There is nothing compared to test cricket in cricket. Only the 50 overs format has a few aspects which remind you of it, but the rest of the formats are just smash and go taking away the true battle of bat vs ball.

I know T20 or T10 can be fun especially the World T20, but what is cricket if there isn't any battle of ball vs bat left? Only in tests you find battles like raw pace vs class bat either surviving or making a breakthrough. In the shorter formats it's just swinging your bat at everything and for the bowlers it's bowling full lenghts or slower ones. Strategy and tactics become a lot less relevant as everyone knows what is needed. The reason someone like Gul was wonderful in T20's but awful in tests.

I know financially it's tough for the smaller boards, but cricket will lose its charm and become baseball v2.

Forget T10. No strategy there.

But T20 has more strategy than Test cricket. In Test there's no strategy at all. Don't have to make tradeoffs on when to bowl best bowlers etc, or whether to sacrifice batting power for bowling power; or whether to play out two or three tough overs or keep going. Test allows the easy options of blocking out till conditions get better.

Lots of people are wonderful in Test and awful in T20 as well. Different skill-sets but one isn't superior.

 

[big_gamer007]

Forget T10. No strategy there.

But T20 has more strategy than Test cricket. In Test there's no strategy at all. Don't have to make tradeoffs on when to bowl best bowlers etc, or whether to sacrifice batting power for bowling power; or whether to play out two or three tough overs or keep going. Test allows the easy options of blocking out till conditions get better.

Lots of people are wonderful in Test and awful in T20 as well. Different skill-sets but one isn't superior.

If you are a great in Tests you will generally be goodish in T20 as well example was of a past it Sachin or Dravid, they did well for themselves in IPL.. Ofcourse they were no Gayle or Warner or Mccullum but did fairly okayish.. But now people like Pujara can’t get a game because there are T20 specialists with whom Pujara can’t compete.. He can still be an okayish batsmen in T20 but there are plenty of better options available than him now..

 

[Outswinger]

Test cricket (and cricket for that matter) has never been a big deal in NZ.

In countries like Australia, England, India and South Africa Test cricket will always be popular and understood.
What many people do not understand is that interest in Test cricket is further reaching than pure attendance numbers. It is a game to be followed rather than watched in the sense that someone may go to the ground one day and follow the game intermittently for the remainder of the match. This is also a good reason for the increased interest in day/night Test cricket. People work during the day therefore cannot watch or attend. Now they can watch the cricket after work. A cricket hero's status primarily stems from his Test and to a lesser extent ODI exploits.

The growth of T20 cricket is fantastic for the sport. It generates unprecedented revenues and far reaching interest in the game. Just because it is very popular doesn't mean Test cricket should be able to match. Test cricket has never been a universal game and will never be. And it is really fine this way. One thing is certain, I know which format players wants to become heroes in (hint: it is not T20). As long as this is the case, Test cricket will survive for a while.

 

[Aman]

Test cricket (and cricket for that matter) has never been a big deal in NZ.

In countries like Australia, England, India and South Africa Test cricket will always be popular and understood.
What many people do not understand is that interest in Test cricket is further reaching than pure attendance numbers. It is a game to be followed rather than watched in the sense that someone may go to the ground one day and follow the game intermittently for the remainder of the match. This is also a good reason for the increased interest in day/night Test cricket. People work during the day therefore cannot watch or attend. Now they can watch the cricket after work. A cricket hero's status primarily stems from his Test and to a lesser extent ODI exploits.

The growth of T20 cricket is fantastic for the sport. It generates unprecedented revenues and far reaching interest in the game. Just because it is very popular doesn't mean Test cricket should be able to match. Test cricket has never been a universal game and will never be. And it is really fine this way. One thing is certain, I know which format players wants to become heroes in (hint: it is not T20). As long as this is the case, Test cricket will survive for a while.

The next generation wont want to play Tests, they'll be the T20 generation who will have grown up idolizing the likes of Gayle, McCullum, Pollard and AB etc.

Forget T10. No strategy there.

But T20 has more strategy than Test cricket. In Test there's no strategy at all. Don't have to make tradeoffs on when to bowl best bowlers etc, or whether to sacrifice batting power for bowling power; or whether to play out two or three tough overs or keep going. Test allows the easy options of blocking out till conditions get better.

Lots of people are wonderful in Test and awful in T20 as well. Different skill-sets but one isn't superior.

I agree, T10 is just a complete waste of time for all.

 

[CricketAnalyst]

If you are a great in Tests you will generally be goodish in T20 as well example was of a past it Sachin or Dravid, they did well for themselves in IPL.. Ofcourse they were no Gayle or Warner or Mccullum but did fairly okayish.. But now people like Pujara can’t get a game because there are T20 specialists with whom Pujara can’t compete.. He can still be an okayish batsmen in T20 but there are plenty of better options available than him now..

Completely untrue. Pujara, Cook etc are completely useless at T20, as is Kane Williamson, Azhar Ali etc. It's not they are better T20 players so Pujara can't compete. I would be better than him at T20, because I would just retire out or knock my stumps rather than waste balls for my team. His contributions are worse than a first ball duck most often.

 

[Outswinger]

The next generation wont want to play Tests, they'll be the T20 generation who will have grown up idolizing the likes of Gayle, McCullum, Pollard and AB etc.

That generation are already starting to play Test cricket. They have witnessed these players over the last 10 years or so.

Not all cricketers can be AB or Gayle. There will always be the Amla, Pujara, Smith type batsmen. And what about bowlers? There is not a single T20 marquee bowler I can think of. Bowlers wants to be Steyn, Rabada, Starc and Hazelwood. These players are Test and ODI greats.

 

[big_gamer007]

Completely untrue. Pujara, Cook etc are completely useless at T20, as is Kane Williamson, Azhar Ali etc. It's not they are better T20 players so Pujara can't compete. I would be better than him at T20, because I would just retire out or knock my stumps rather than waste balls for my team. His contributions are worse than a first ball duck most often.

I am not sure about being completely useless I think thy are capable of being 32-35@120 however teams now prefer people who can hit out or get out type of attitude which I guess is how it goes nowadays in T20’s... But on difficult surfaces which are very rare in T20’s these batsmen can do okay where par score is 120-130...

 

[Aman]

David White also said there may be different coaches across formats once Hesson's contract ends after the WC.

 

[Convict]

We'll be getting more T20 tri series in the future I reckon.

I would love to see an annual T20 tri series between NZ, Aus and SA.

I hope not.

 

[Prince of Pakistan]

Forget T10. No strategy there.

But T20 has more strategy than Test cricket. In Test there's no strategy at all. Don't have to make tradeoffs on when to bowl best bowlers etc, or whether to sacrifice batting power for bowling power; or whether to play out two or three tough overs or keep going. Test allows the easy options of blocking out till conditions get better.

Lots of people are wonderful in Test and awful in T20 as well. Different skill-sets but one isn't superior.

In general in T10/T20 batsmen know what is expected from them. Yes on tougher wickets you are expected to play the ball on merit, but in general it's about hitting boundaries. Also the bowlers only have one goal: get it full or bowl those deceiving slower ones. There isn't much thinking needed.

While in test cricket you need to build your innings, counter the swing then spin and in the end you got to get your team through to a decent total by accelerating in the end. Obviously it depends on the wicket as well but that's then again the beauty of test cricket. You will not get away with a few skills.
Same goes for the bowlers as bowling a few dot balls is not enough. You need to make that ball talk and utilize the weak points of the batsmen. As a fan of genuine pace bowling I will never give up on test cricket and the red cherry.

It's true that different format require different skills. Some cricketers who were poor in first class have really made an impact in the T20 format. I give you that.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

With boards ceding time and assets to IPL, there will come a time when international cricket will merely be played for major events just as in football.

Is it a good thing or bad, time will tell.

The window for ipl won't be for just two months in 2024.

 

[msb314]

I can tolerate T20's but ODI's remain the premier format of the game for me.

Long enough to apply skill and strategy and perseverance whilst short enough to guarantee a result and entertainment.

 

[maxamax]

No one would continue to play a sport if it's losing money, it's' inevitable that it will be phased out. Simply not sustainable in most countries that's why you hear drastic ideas like cutting down a day of cricket to keep it alive.

True. A country where food and shelter are a mess, allotting 5 days for sports in not sustainable. It had its time, but its getting too much now.

 

[maxamax]

I can tolerate T20's but ODI's remain the premier format of the game for me.

Long enough to apply skill and strategy and perseverance whilst short enough to guarantee a result and entertainment.

True. Its kind of a perfect balance between T20 and tests. Makes sure that you dont play tuk tuk at the same time you can't go berserk for few overs and consider it game over for opposition.

 

[CricketAnalyst]

I am not sure about being completely useless I think thy are capable of being 32-35@120 however teams now prefer people who can hit out or get out type of attitude which I guess is how it goes nowadays in T20’s... But on difficult surfaces which are very rare in T20’s these batsmen can do okay where par score is 120-130...

The problem is they actually score at 110. And no matter what number of runs you score, if that's your rate, you are better off in the pavilion and the more runs you score the worse it is because the more balls you ate.

 

[msb314]

True. Its kind of a perfect balance between T20 and tests. Makes sure that you dont play tuk tuk at the same time you can't go berserk for few overs and consider it game over for opposition.

Yeah for sure.

Plus there is enough for captains to apply bowling and fielding strategies as well as batting strategies such as tinkering with the lineup, using pinch hitters, PP etc.

 

[Outswinger]

If ODI ever becomes the premier format it needs tinkering to bring bowlers into the equation.