Australia's Boxing Day and New Year's Tests under threat

[sohum]

No one HAS to tour a specific country at a specific time if they don't want to.

No one HAS to tour a specific country at a specific time if they don't want to but SOMEONE HAS to tour Australia in their summer season because they sure aren't going to be going anywhere.

 

[smssia0112]

No one HAS to tour a specific country at a specific time if they don't want to but SOMEONE HAS to tour Australia in their summer season because they sure aren't going to be going anywhere.

Yes, and only one country seems to have a problem with doing it. I can assure you that many countries do indeed want to come to Australia.

 

[Gilly Fan]

Yes, and only one country seems to have a problem with doing it. I can assure you that many countries do indeed want to come to Australia.

Like Bangladesh. When was the last time the toured here? Was it that Top End series in Darwin?

 

[sohum]

Yes, and only one country seems to have a problem with doing it. I can assure you that many countries do indeed want to come to Australia.

It's really not about whether anyone wants to come to Australia but that Australia won't go anywhere during that time. I'm sure you understand that by now. The problem is that they get their home season every year but the country touring them usually loses their home season.

South Africa are the only board who have raised their concern publicly but I can assure you other boards are starting to get annoyed by it.

 

[smssia0112]

It's really not about whether anyone wants to come to Australia but that Australia won't go anywhere during that time. I'm sure you understand that by now. The problem is that they get their home season every year but the country touring them usually loses their home season.

South Africa are the only board who have raised their concern publicly but I can assure you other boards are starting to get annoyed by it.

As I've said, Australia are entitled to have their home season at home. As is everyone else, but no one else is complaining about it.

If you have definite proof that others are starting to get annoyed by it, I'm interested to hear it, but as the world's number 1 side, other countries want to tour Australia.

It seems arrogant, but it's the truth. We have been doing it this way for years, we have been playing cricket a long time, and playing on Boxing Day for a long time. If nations want to protest, they may protest, as South Africa have done, but there are simple alternatives to tour here.

Besides that, Australia is very flexible, India are coming to start on Boxing Day, and push the season into school/work time, which is ridiculous on its own, they simply should have cut off a test and gave it to Sri Lanka instead of playing 2 and 4, or they could dut down the ridiculously long Comm Bank Series by a few games and finish in time for peak sporting season.

South Africa's specific query seems to be Boxing Day itself, but as long as our board are flexible enough to do that with India, I'm sure that if another country want to come for Boxing Day as the 1st test so that they can have most of their own season, that's fine as well.

You have no specific complaint as an Indian supporter anyway as your country is moving our schedule over anyway.

 

[sohum]

Besides that, Australia is very flexible, India are coming to start on Boxing Day, and push the season into school/work time, which is ridiculous on its own, they simply should have cut off a test and gave it to Sri Lanka instead of playing 2 and 4, or they could dut down the ridiculously long Comm Bank Series by a few games and finish in time for peak sporting season.

How very flexible of Australia. We should all really take a step back and praise them for this extremely generous gesture on their behalf. </sarcasm> What is ridiculous is that Australia had to tour India in May/June last time they were here. Not only do the pre-monsoons occur then but it is also the height of the heat. Of course, it would have been ideal if Australia had toured India in the winter, which would have suited India's home schedule, but of course that would come into contact with Australia's holy rights.

South Africa's specific query seems to be Boxing Day itself, but as long as our board are flexible enough to do that with India, I'm sure that if another country want to come for Boxing Day as the 1st test so that they can have most of their own season, that's fine as well.

The Boxing Day issue was a specific example by South Africa on the idea that Australia monopolizes their home season.

You have no specific complaint as an Indian supporter anyway as your country is moving our schedule over anyway.

Do you know why the schedule was moved? Because we are hosting a home series in OUR home season. So you are complaining that we are wreaking your home season when we are wreaking are home season to go play in yours. The Boxing Day test is one thing, but it is really unfair on Cricket Australia's part to retain the rigidity of their home season year after year and have other teams plan their schedule around it.

 

[smssia0112]

How very flexible of Australia. We should all really take a step back and praise them for this extremely generous gesture on their behalf. </sarcasm> What is ridiculous is that Australia had to tour India in May/June last time they were here. Not only do the pre-monsoons occur then but it is also the height of the heat. Of course, it would have been ideal if Australia had toured India in the winter, which would have suited India's home schedule, but of course that would come into contact with Australia's holy rights.


The Boxing Day issue was a specific example by South Africa on the idea that Australia monopolizes their home season.


Do you know why the schedule was moved? Because we are hosting a home series in OUR home season. So you are complaining that we are wreaking your home season when we are wreaking are home season to go play in yours. The Boxing Day test is one thing, but it is really unfair on Cricket Australia's part to retain the rigidity of their home season year after year and have other teams plan their schedule around it.

I'm not complaining at all, I'm saying that we ARE flexible. We don't have a monopoly because we have given you your home season instead of taking ours. Where is the problem? All we want is our traditional fixtures that we have been doing for decades.

As for us touring you, it's bad for us, not you that we came in Summer, you should be pleased that you get to have cricket in Summer. You are more adjusted to the climate anyway.

 

[sohum]

I'm not complaining at all, I'm saying that we ARE flexible. We don't have a monopoly because we have given you your home season instead of taking ours. Where is the problem? All we want is our traditional fixtures that we have been doing for decades.

The problem is I don't see Australia shifting the first test to the Boxing Day one a huge show of flexibility. Having traditional tests is one thing but if you want to preserve your whole season on the account of traditions, then I think you are erring heavily. In that regard, I don't think Australians should claim that they are flexible because they had to delay the start of the first test of the series when it's quite clear that their cricket team IS going to be playing at home during their summer every year. That's where the problem lies and you cannot circumvent it by saying that someone wants to tour Australia every year because I can assure you that more people want Australia to tour them during that time.

As for us touring you, it's bad for us, not you that we came in Summer, you should be pleased that you get to have cricket in Summer. You are more adjusted to the climate anyway.

It's a common misconception that Asians do not suffer in the hot climate. A perfect example of this was when we toured Bangladesh recently. We had our top 3 batsmen retire hurt at some stage of their innings because of the excruciating heat and humidity. Playing cricket when the temperature is in the 40's and humidity is in the 90's is not sensible for either, India or Australia. However, tours like this become necessary because of the packed calendar of the FTP and because Australia's tour of India cannot happen in the most pleasant season of cricket.

And finally, I cannot understand how you do not find it reasonable that other countries should have the chance to host Australia during their home season. Is it a holy right bestowed upon Australian cricket that their home season is preferable to any other countries?

 

[smssia0112]

The problem is I don't see Australia shifting the first test to the Boxing Day one a huge show of flexibility. Having traditional tests is one thing but if you want to preserve your whole season on the account of traditions, then I think you are erring heavily. In that regard, I don't think Australians should claim that they are flexible because they had to delay the start of the first test of the series when it's quite clear that their cricket team IS going to be playing at home during their summer every year. That's where the problem lies and you cannot circumvent it by saying that someone wants to tour Australia every year because I can assure you that more people want Australia to tour them during that time.

Which is what we've done here. You are arguing for the sake of it now. We have shifted our season outside its regular parameters to acommodate you.

All that we preserved was our two traditional tests. The rest is completely at the time that suits India rather than Australia. How is that not fair?

And finally, I cannot understand how you do not find it reasonable that other countries should have the chance to host Australia during their home season. Is it a holy right bestowed upon Australian cricket that their home season is preferable to any other countries?

I don't think it's unreasonable, but as I've said over and over, every country has the right to dictate what they do in their own season. We have said that we will stay home, is there some law that says we must do what other nations want us to do?

If you want me to come over to your house, but I refuse to because my house is better and I don't want to leave home, you can either come here or invite someone else over. It's that simple. It's not up to anyone to decide whose house Australia must go to, it's up to us. We've simply found someone to come over every time.

Everyone thinks we have a monopoly over the rest of the world but we're really just better at bargaining. We have worked our way to top position by playing at home. Anyone can do that, you just have to find someone willing to come over. If no one wants to leave home during their peak season we can get England to play here every year, frankly I'm happy to do that.

We don't have a right, we simply have a desire. We take that desire and we organize our season best. That's business.

 

[sohum]

Which is what we've done here. You are arguing for the sake of it now. We have shifted our season outside its regular parameters to acommodate you.

All that we preserved was our two traditional tests. The rest is completely at the time that suits India rather than Australia. How is that not fair?

It is fair, but I feel like you are suggesting Australia is making a sacrifice of some sort. This is clearly not the case and it's only up to Australia's better nature to accommodate the touring team seeing that they are usually taking up the touring team's home season anyway. I'm not arguing for the sake of it. I'm arguing against what I conceive to be your mentality that Australia were dealt a bad hand because they had to change their schedule around for India. They weren't. If they are going to stay at home every season then they have to be prepared to face the consequences of conflicts created by the touring teams.

I don't think it's unreasonable, but as I've said over and over, every country has the right to dictate what they do in their own season. We have said that we will stay home, is there some law that says we must do what other nations want us to do?

Of course everyone has that right but as soon as people try and exercise that right, Australians start up a furore about their traditional tests. The FTP scheduling requires that Australia must tour all countries. But no other country can exercise the right to schedule an Australia series in their home season, because Australia will be unavailable. The only reason Australia is getting away with this is because no other countries have taken the same stance that Australia has. If every country took the same stubborn stance and decided that they won't venture out from home during the home season, cricket would begin to crumble.

If you want me to come over to your house, but I refuse to because my house is better and I don't want to leave home, you can either come here or invite someone else over. It's that simple. It's not up to anyone to decide whose house Australia must go to, it's up to us. We've simply found someone to come over every time.

But there is no rule that you must come to my house and I must go to your house within a certain time period. Using your analogy, 7 of us share the same birthday. While 6 of us work around to make sure we can go over to each other's houses on our birthdays over a few years, you, the 7th one, decide that you are going to be at your house for your birthday every year. And not only that, you are going to be calling one of the other 6 over, without ever reciprocating the favor.

Everyone thinks we have a monopoly over the rest of the world but we're really just better at bargaining. We have worked our way to top position by playing at home. Anyone can do that, you just have to find someone willing to come over. If no one wants to leave home during their peak season we can get England to play here every year, frankly I'm happy to do that.

You're better at bargaining? It's more like you're better at pressuring and then whining. When South Africa brought up something that dare upset your traditional home season test schedule, there was an uproar that this certainly should not be happening? I'm sorry, but I fail to see how you're bargaining there. It's more like you present your schedule and then the rest of the countries use that and the FTP requirements to plan their schedules.

We don't have a right, we simply have a desire. We take that desire and we organize our season best. That's business.

It's definitely more than a desire. Wouldn't you feel wronged if Australia had to play abroad during their traditional tests? You wouldn't feel, "Ah well, I really wished they had played here." would you?

 

[smssia0112]

It is fair, but I feel like you are suggesting Australia is making a sacrifice of some sort. This is clearly not the case and it's only up to Australia's better nature to accommodate the touring team seeing that they are usually taking up the touring team's home season anyway. I'm not arguing for the sake of it. I'm arguing against what I conceive to be your mentality that Australia were dealt a bad hand because they had to change their schedule around for India.

I feel that we were dealt a bad hand because the season is going into school time which means that I won't be able to go to some of the ODIs, and on top of that it clashes with winter sports like footy and rugby. That's my opinion, although obviously not the opinion of Cricket Australia.

As I've said already, we could have avoided this by playing 3 tests against India, and playing 3 against Sri Lanka, or cutting down on the ODI series so that it finishes earlier.

Of course everyone has that right but as soon as people try and exercise that right, Australians start up a furore about their traditional tests. The FTP scheduling requires that Australia must tour all countries. But no other country can exercise the right to schedule an Australia series in their home season, because Australia will be unavailable. The only reason Australia is getting away with this is because no other countries have taken the same stance that Australia has. If every country took the same stubborn stance and decided that they won't venture out from home during the home season, cricket would begin to crumble.

Exactly, no one else has complained, that's why we're winning. No one is disputing that. As I've said, everyone is coming without complaint, except South Africa. When people are coming at different times, we acommodate them.

All we want, which you already said is reasonable, is our two traditional tests that have been going on longer than test status in many of these countries.

You're better at bargaining? It's more like you're better at pressuring and then whining. When South Africa brought up something that dare upset your traditional home season test schedule, there was an uproar that this certainly should not be happening? I'm sorry, but I fail to see how you're bargaining there. It's more like you present your schedule and then the rest of the countries use that and the FTP requirements to plan their schedules.

Who is whining? Which CA official or player said that it's not fair what South Africa said. This whole thread is about South Africa's stance. Australia have not announced one yet. I may be whining but that has nothing to do with Australia. I'm a fan who wants the best schedule for my team.

 

[Pink Unicorn]

For the last time, if South Africa don't want to come down to Australia, then they don't have to. Boxing Day is a great tradition and generates a lot of revenue for Victoria and Australia. If South Africa don't want to come, someone else will.

No one HAS to tour a specific country at a specific time if they don't want to.

Actually, they HAVE to. Would you care to find out how much John Howard is willing to pay the ICC to avoid the Australian tour of Zimbabwe ? If South Africa do not want to tour Australia in December, then they WILL be forced to shell out millions to the ICC just because Australia are damn inflexible.

And please don't shell out that "we're flexible" crap. Flexibility is what other teams have been displaying for a long long time by sacrificing their December tests at home, and enduring a long drawn boring ODI series down under. Australia shifting their schedule by a couple of weeks for just one lousy season and complaining to the heavens about it isn't flexibility.

 

[sohum]

I feel that we were dealt a bad hand because the season is going into school time which means that I won't be able to go to some of the ODIs, and on top of that it clashes with winter sports like footy and rugby. That's my opinion, although obviously not the opinion of Cricket Australia.

Well then you get no sympathy from me. The last Australian tour of India ended on my last day of school. That pretty much means that their whole tour went on during my school time. It would have been far more preferable to me if they had come sometime in December as I would have been able to see 5 days of cricket instead of just 1. And about clashing with winter sports, that really is not a strong enough point for Australia to claim that they have to stay at home during their summer. Cricket is the only sport in some countries... if India didn't have the short tour by Pakistan before the Australia tour, we would have had no cricket and no other sport to go follow live.

As I've said already, we could have avoided this by playing 3 tests against India, and playing 3 against Sri Lanka, or cutting down on the ODI series so that it finishes earlier.

Exactly, no one else has complained, that's why we're winning. No one is disputing that. As I've said, everyone is coming without complaint, except South Africa. When people are coming at different times, we acommodate them.

Not everyone is coming without complaint. When the FTP was scheduled South Africa, Sri Lanka and a couple of other countries felt shafted by the schedule which was largely Australia, India and England-centric. The topic is set to go to discussion in the next ICC meeting and it is largely believed that Australia's strangle-hold on their domestic season will be outvoted 7-3. We'll see how that goes, though.

All we want, which you already said is reasonable, is our two traditional tests that have been going on longer than test status in many of these countries.

But it seems you not only want your two traditional tests but you also want the boxing day test not to be the first test of the tour. In effect, you want your home season calendar to remain the same year after year and make others schedule around it.

Who is whining? Which CA official or player said that it's not fair what South Africa said. This whole thread is about South Africa's stance. Australia have not announced one yet. I may be whining but that has nothing to do with Australia. I'm a fan who wants the best schedule for my team.

Australia's stance is pretty public: "We've got a traditional season that we've been operating for a long while, and we're keen to keep working with other nations to do that" (Peter Young, CA Media Manager). I can't really read anything from that except that they won't back down easily.

 

[jeromedascorp]

Well said. I agree with sohu.

 

[sohum]

Well said. I agree with sohu.

So who? The name's Sohum.