More Proof that ODIs are Harming Players

[Ernest]

I have thought for a long while that one day cricket and test cricket should be divorced - one look at Flintoff should have searved a warning.

But latest victim Pietersen has said this:-

Originally Posted by Pietersen

Right now I'm mentally fatigued, I'm just a very, very tired person,

And quite right too - more players should speak up.

Originally Posted by BBC

England's Kevin Pietersen has blamed tiredness for his poor form in the one-day series against West Indies.

If to much cricket is affecting a players form - then what's the point, surely less matches would be of benefit.

And from the horses mouth:-

Originally Posted by Pietersen

I think I had a about a month off when I broke my rib in Australia, which was magnificent. I felt refreshed and I had a pretty sensational World Cup.

Well it shows what a months rest can do, but it also shows what effect the longest PJ show on earth can do to a players form, couples with multiple ODI series every year.

Does anyone not have a better idea on how players could lay less cricket? - I have made my possition clear many times, who has a better idea?.


BBC SPORT | Cricket | England | Pietersen blames fatigue for form

[Quagmire]

Pietersen is an ego. It could just be excuses you dont see gentlemen of the game like Collingwood, Gilchrist, Fleming complaining. Excuses

[acker]

We have had this argument in Australia before Ern.
A common consensus was that the contracted professional cricketers considered themselves overworked, but the rest of us mere mortals who do not get paid to play cricket considered they were enjoying a very pampered lifestyle which afforded them more than enough opportunity to visit casino's, nightclubs and occasionally marina's after matches.
To a mortal looking into the world of professional cricketers the hardest things for them to do other than keeping up their form; appears to be avoiding or being extremely discreet about any incidences of passion away from their regular partner that they may partake in.

[Occasional Fan]

I think Ern (and KP) have a point. It's not only the playing, it's the training, the travelling, the hotel nights and all the crap that goes with this. I know that the teams these days tend to stay in four and five star hotels, and maybe that sounds pampered to some of us. But I'd challenge anyone to try it for six months or so - especially simulating a one-day series, which means one or two nights in any one hotel at maximum - and say that they were pampered at the end of it. My own experience - the one that cost me one long standing personal relationship and came bloody close to destroying another one, the one that never found me anywhere, even on those few days at home, without at least part of my life in a suitcase, the one that had me on an aeroplane three times a week for about three years, NOT necking the complimentary champagne and gourmet meals but almost crying at the stewards and stewardesses to **** off and leave me alone so that I could try to get at least a couple of hours' kip in an effort to avoid the horrible feeling of never knowing whether it is day or night unless you can actually see the sun - tells me that the travelling life is for the birds.

I am convinced that there is far too much ODI cricket going on for the health and happiness of the players, and that is a real threat to the quality of the game we love in the future. Even in a small country like England, the strain of travel and hotel life are there and measurable. And we have a seven match ODI series coming up later in the summer when India visit. It's madness. I agree with Ern and KP - and Agnew, and doubtless many others - that the ICC should be forcing the boards to reduce the amount of this stuff. Otherwise we will be seeing many more "stress related illnesses" among our professional cricketers than we want to, and possibly much, much worse.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

It could just be excuses you dont see gentlemen of the game like Gilchrist, Fleming complaining. Excuses

Strangely enough that would be due to the fact that both players have had proper breaks recently. Following the World Cup Flem got married and took a break before joining up with Notts. And the Aussie schedule has been so easy all of their players have had substantial breaks, and will continue to do so. Like it or not guys it's the English players who play constantly. We are the only nation playing in both northern and southern hemisphere summers year after year.

[Occasional Fan]

It's amazing how easy it is to miss that obvious point, NE - but you're right! I can't remember the last time we didn't have something going on in the southern hemisphere or the sub-continent (northern hemisphere, I know, but with cricket there played very late in the year) during what would be the English winter. How did I miss that point for so long?

[Collyisamackem]

There's a caveat to that, however, since so many of the world's best players play full English county seasons every year, only breaking from that for internationals. Warne and Murali are just two examples of playeras who barely stopped playing cricket for years and years, and Murali is still doing it! Many of the top Australian players are ordered to rest, which is a very sensible policy we should adopt more, but others from international cricket just keep going and going.

The most sensible thing would be to shorten the competitive length of non-Ashes winter tours. If we made every winter series bar the Ashes three tests and three ODIs long as a mandatory measure, or simply demanded that the FTP be adjusted so that we only play one (5 test, 5 ODI) winter series, then that would help substantially. Not demanding that test players who aren't suited to ODIs (Cook being a striking example!) should play them would help some players who could fly home earlier, and resting players from meaningless games after a series is decided should be an adopted policy IMO. Australia aren't the only nation doing this, but the fact that the most successful side in world cricket does it shows that it doesn't cost you to give people a break!

Another important measure to take sould be to scrap the Friends Provident Trophy and make the Pro40/National League into a 50-over campaign with a final in the top division, to decongest the English season. Money will dictate that none of my suggestions would be listened to, but for what it's worth there they are!!!

[Milo]

I've said this before. Modern cricketers play far less cricket than any from other eras. The likes of Malcolm Marshall and Hadlee bowled hundreds of overs more in a year than any of today's bowlers. And as for Trueman etc it really isn't worth dicussing. They bowled thousands more!

Maybe they do boring training, but KP really doesn't have much of a leg to stand on. How many overs has he actually faced this year??? And he's tired! He's had a run of low scores and he simply can't face it.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Milo

Maybe they do boring training, but KP really doesn't have much of a leg to stand on. How many overs has he actually faced this year??? And he's tired! He's had a run of low scores and he simply can't face it.

The pressure on them to perform to a consistently high level is far greater than it ever has been. Every time they bat or bowl they are expected to be at the top of their game and it's not always possible.

You do have a point, Milo, but I also believe that KP has a point. It's somthing more and more players are bringing up. Jacques Kallis has done so, too. You can have too much of a good thing.

[flanflinger]

Can't see how this is "proof" that ODI's harm players... it show that the schedule that is getting players more and more tired, this schedule includes more Tests, more tours and more ODI's not just ODI's...

Think you are just reading this story how you want to read it Ern..To me this is about saying that there needs to be less Cricket full stop, to allow professional players time to recuperate.

We have a summer of Seven Tests, do we need that many, or is that down to the fact that we have to play two series, thanks to the ICC. We also have seven ODI's coming up and a Twenty20 cup. Too much Cricket, this is not "proof" that ODI's alone are doing the harm...