LEFT ARM OVER
NEIL MANTHORP: Here lie the remains of Test cricket. RIP
Cricket Australia’s (CA’s) decision to unilaterally cancel its long-standing commitment to host Bangladesh for a couple of Test matches later in 2018 should probably not have surprised anybody — but it did.A decade ago CA actually issued this non sequitur in a media release: "Cricket Australia supports the inclusion of Bangladesh as a Test-playing nation… in a non-playing capacity." Subsequently, they did play them — in the backwaters of Darwin and Cairns. But no longer, it seems.They are committed, however, to expanding the successful Big Bash T20 league, which already dominates the Australian summer.The snubbing of Bangladesh — because CA "can’t afford to host the tour" — comes fresh on the heels of a record-breaking $1.2bn television rights deal."It is sad on a number of levels," said former Australian opening batsman and notable cricket humanitarian Ed Cowan. "Players hear about Cricket Australia wanting to expand the number of playing days in Australia but, evidently, only in t...
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