Former Australian batsman and Cricket Australia executive Matthew Hayden has said that Twenty20 cricket has emerged as one of the biggest threats to the legacy of one-day cricket.
Hayden also said that officials must work out proper schedules for the progression of the format with the 2011 World Cup.
“With one-day cricket, people say they still love it, but it doesn’t have the excitement it used to, certainly not compared to T20. We have to work out when and how we play one-day cricket,” The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Hayden, as saying.
“It’s a pathway to the World Cup, which is still a valuable property, but it has to be programmed in a way that makes sense,” he added.
He further said cricket’s “iconic brands” -the Ashes, 50-over World Cup and T20 World Cup- need to take precedence for boost in popularity of the game.
“Greater minds than mine will act on this, but these things must be considered when discussing the game’s future,” Hayden said.
“The way cricket is played and viewed has changed and now we need to streamline what’s important and what’s not. It brings great challenges. I think CA understands that. They know change is coming and needs to be embraced,” he added.
