SA Cricketers’ Association CEO Andrew Breetzke says while countries like South Africa will benefit from a proposed Test cricket “emergency fund”, other issues still need to be addressed by the ICC.
Proposed by Cricket Australia chairman Mike Baird after the Proteas fielded a C team for a two-Test series in New Zealand, which clashed with the SA20, the $15-million (R267-million) fund would exclude cricket’s Big Three (India, England and Australia) and provide minimum match fees of $10,000 (R178,000) for the other eight Test-playing nations, including South Africa.
“We can be classified as a poorer [cricketing] country. If you fall outside the grouping of the Big Three, you are one of the poor,” Breetzke told Rapport newspaper.
Breetzke, though, said the fund would only play a significant role if the ICC took other steps to boost Test cricket.
“The ICC does not control the international calendar, and until the ICC creates a window period for Test cricket, it will continue to bleed.
“Furthermore, the broadcast value of T20 cricket is now equal to or more than that of Test cricket. So there is no monetary benefit for countries to prioritise Test cricket from a revenue point of view.
“It’s also expensive to host Test cricket, compared to white-ball cricket.”
And while Test cricket remains popular in England and Australia, crowd attendances in other countries range from average to poor.
“There are still certain stadiums in South Africa where you attract Test spectators, such as SuperSport Park in the Boxing Day Test, and especially Newlands in the New Year’s Test,” said Breetzke. “Elsewhere, spectator numbers are declining. You see it all the way to India.”
Photo: Daniel Prentice/Gallo Images
