Why England should not enter the ICCCT 2006

[greg]

Pointless competition only set up to make more money.I hope England don't qualify but if we do then i would be happy if we just sent the A-Team to play in it to learn for the future.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Zainub

Will the Aussie players not 'flatten' as you say, or are you trying to say England are more vulnerable to fatigue, just because they are England?

England will have just come off the back of another seven Test summer at home. Many of the Aussies will have had a rest. Warne doesn't play ODI cricket, Gilchrist, Ponting, Hayden, Langer and the majority of the Aussies likely to be playing in the Ashes aren't down to play county cricket next summer (as far as I know).

[Ninjaman]

Originally Posted by Occasional Fan

That's as may be, but it wasn't as late as it is in 2006 - the Ashes series started some two weeks earlier and was therefore much more spread out than it will be next year.

But in between the spread out Test matches, there were a lot of meaningless ODIs designed only to make money weren't there??

Between the 3rd and 4th Tests, there were a lod of VB Series games.

In fact, barring the dead rubber that was the 5th Test, England didn't win a single game against anyone but Sri Lanka in the VB series.

So the spacing out of the games obviously did not help.

Look, the setting of the Test series is done by Cricket Australia or the ACB.

Any problems with this scheduling should be directed at them.

Instead, once again, as lazily usual, the cricticism is directed at the ICC for having the gall to organise a simple ODI tournament.

It could also easily be said that the obsession (due to tradition and their right to do so) of Australia having the penultimate Test starting on Boxing Day and the last Test starting Jan 2, has created a small window where 3 Tests have to be crammed to maintain that order.

One could.

Or one could get into a false sense of panic almost and try and make out that a few games of competitive cricket that could aid the team for the World Cup a few months down the line are some slight against English cricket.

[Occasional Fan]

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

Instead, once again, as lazily usual, the cricticism is directed at the ICC for having the gall to organise a simple ODI tournament.

Ninjaman - please read this post in which I specifically state that it would be dangerous to blame the ICC. Nowhere have I blamed them for organising a tournament. My belief that there is too much ODI cricket in the schedule stands on its own, without a need to blame anyone or any organisation for it.

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

It could also easily be said that the obsession (due to tradition and their right to do so) of Australia having the penultimate Test starting on Boxing Day and the last Test starting Jan 2, has created a small window where 3 Tests have to be crammed to maintain that order.

One could.

Indeed one could. However: (a) I am not disputing the right of CA to set the schedule at all; (b) I am certainly not disputing their right to adhere to tradition in having the fourth and fifth tests on 26/12 and 2/1; (c) I actually quite like that tradition. So - I don't have a gripe with CA at all. Neither do I particularly have a problem with the ICCCT taking place. I do, however, believe that there is a strong case for England not participating in the ICCCT. How that becomes a criticism of the ICC (or anyone) is beyond me. There might be equally strong cases for Australia and/or any other senior nations not participating, but it is not for me as an England supporter to make those cases, nor even to determine whether such cases might exist.

Originally Posted by Ninjaman

Or one could get into a false sense of panic almost and try and make out that a few games of competitive cricket that could aid the team for the World Cup a few months down the line are some slight against English cricket.

I suppose one could, though it would take a fairly big stretch of logic to get there. Personally, I can't see how any game can be a slight against English cricket, and I certainly haven't suggested it. But I have been pretty clear above (and elsewhere in the board) that the World Cup means nothing to me personally (a fact) and that I would prefer much more emphasis to be placed on test match cricket by the ECB than on the pyjama game. Where's the insult or slight in that? I'm not attempting to suggest to anyone else that they skip the ICCCT if it's important to them - in fact, on page one of this thread I advocated England wishing everyone a lot of fun as they played in the contest while England sat it out.

As to the timing of the ODIs last time around in Australia, Ninjaman, I'm sure you've checked them and are right in what you say. But it makes no difference to my argument, does it? I don't know what the plans are for the ODIs next year during the Australia tour (not sure they've been announced, but if you know differently please let me know), but I guess they will come after the fifth test as the schedule is pretty crowded already. To me, that's fine, as they are the less important part of the tour. The more important part starts at Brisbane on 23 November, and my concern is that England get there with a clear test match mentality and series plan in place. They are going to need it. I can't see how having the first half of the month devoted to ODIs in any form will help that.