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Its not very often that I find myself agreeing wholeheartedly with Michael Clarke but he is spot on with his comments about the forthcoming ODI series against New Zealand to be played this weekend. The mens international season has just dragged on and on with meaningless ODIs in India, South Africa and now this Mickey Mouse series. As Clarke said it would have been much better to sign off the International summer with the brilliant victory in the Womens world cup but in their greed for more revenue, Cricket Australia have sent the players all over the place with very little respite. If they wanted to play ODIs against NZ, the obvious time would have been after the Sydney test in January when they were still here and interest in cricket was still high. Now the focus is on the footy and I would think that the crowds at these games would not be great.

Complete and utter greed on CA's behalf Mike.
There will be only 2 men and a dog at these meaningless ODIs but they probably dont care as the $ from TV interests far outweigh that!

Chicken and egg situation?

Does the TV rights contract demand a certain number of games, thereby compelling CA to come up with this (as you say, meaningless) series?

Kiwis keen as mustard for this....just wrapped up a 3-0 ODI whitewash of the Indian side and a 2-0 test whitewash as well....Aust wobbling on their feet with Langer complaining of fatigue....tough gig being an international cricketer....

jackspratt wrote: Chicken and egg situation?

Does the TV rights contract demand a certain number of games, thereby compelling CA to come up with this (as you say, meaningless) series?

I would say that is the case JS but even as a hardcore cricket lover I have no interest in them so not sure what the casual fan will think thats if they even know they are on.
I daresay the on sell to the subcontinent broadcasters would be worth plenty as well as we know they love their cricket content.

The test championship along with the ODI equivalent has skewiffed all tournament fixturing - there'll be more strange series in the middle of nowhere due to obvious clashes with other series or even other sports on some grounds around the world
The India tour of NZ is one example being close to the test series here for any one dayers
Looks like yet another lot of tradition is going down the gurgler

i have a little bit of sympathy for them -- it is still cricket season -- some years ago we did not start playing football until mid april -- 5 April as late as 1980. The problem, here, is the VFL monster not the ACB equivalent. In any case, credit to them for playing in the current environment of hysteria.

Ideally you would have played this series at an appropriate time and, and, instead, all the local players should have been available for the last round of shield fixtures this week end.

As a further guide for people, according to Ric's site, before the war the season began in mid May. After the war it was the end of April, and by 1966, Atwell's time at Perth, it was mid April.

Series has now been cancelled with the Kiwis heading home immediately.

Beasley Hutton wrote: Series has now been cancelled with the Kiwis heading home immediately.

From Sunday midnight to enter NZ from Australia. You will have to prove that you have been in quarantine for 2 weeks.

gtrxuone wrote:

Beasley Hutton wrote: Series has now been cancelled with the Kiwis heading home immediately.

From Sunday midnight to enter NZ from Australia. You will have to prove that you have been in quarantine for 2 weeks.

If the Marketing bloke was any leader mate he would be following NZ's lead in this on overseas travel into this country.