Cricket news these days is dominated by news of the Indian Premier League, its commercial structure and how it seeks to make cricketers rich beyond their dreams. This is a novel concept in international cricket which is traditionally a game that reveres skill, technical correctness and real cricketing talents above the brash blandishments of crass commercialisation.

These were perhaps Ricky Ponting’s thoughts as he brushed aside the attractions of the IPL this year, in favour of concentrating on playing cricket for his country, a move much lauded by the Aussie media and many others in international cricket.  Ponting quoted recently in the cricket news, thinks that the very future of tests is at stake under the ‘onslaught’ of Twenty20 cricket; and he ‘fears’ that the huge cash offerings of tournaments like the IPL was drawing players away from the 5 day format and that this was “really dangerous” at the moment.

“I gave the Bradman Oration last year and I stated that what I want for the next generation of Australians is to do what I've done: play 150 Tests and represent their country for a long time. But something in the back of my head says that their focus could switch from that to being attracted by the glitz and glamour of Twenty20 and the money that might be around," Ponting was quoted in the cricket news as having said to a publication.

In a survey conducted by the Australian Cricketers' Association, among the 25 contracted players revealed that only a minority feels Test cricket as the ultimate achievement, which seems to bear out Ponting’s fears. According to the survey, "balancing playing for your country and competing in the new Twenty20 competitions" was the most important issue facing world cricket, while a third thought Test cricket, in its current form, would become “obsolete in 20 years' time.”

Ponting also felt that the current hectic scheduling of cricket matches for cricket teams around the world was causing burn out that the administration seems to be oblivious too. "Administrators just don't see burnout. Players are the only ones who know when they can get themselves up to 100 per cent. As an international sportsman, you don't want to be playing when you're not at your absolute best. In the last few months quite a few of our players have been on the edge of not being able to get themselves up to 100 per cent all the time,” said Ponting.

What also seems to lend credence to Ponting’s fears is the kind of cricket news that says that the Test World championships may never see light of day! So perhaps there is something in it when people say that test cricket itself is in peril!

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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