Cricket Australia chief executive Todd Greenberg chose his words carefully on Boxing Day morning, yet the message was plain. After watching 20 wickets tumble on day one at the MCG, he admitted, “short Tests are bad for business”, and that he “didn’t sleep well last night, put it that way”.
Day one drew a record 94,199 spectators and day two was already a sell-out, but CA still fears the ledger will look ugly if this match mirrors Perth, where Australia and England wrapped up inside two days earlier in the month. That fixture, with 19 wickets on its opening day, is believed to have cost the governing body about AUD $5 million.
Asked on SEN radio whether such rapid finishes hurt the product, Greenberg replied, “The short answer for that in my opinion is yes.” He enjoyed the spectacle – most of us did – yet kept circling back to the commercial reality. “As mesmerising and fascinating and enjoyable as it was to watch as a fan, we want Test cricket clearly to go for longer.”
Former players in commentary boxes were quick to blame the MCG surface, saying it leaned too far towards the seamers. Greenberg did not argue, but pointed out that batting technique had also played a part. “A simple phrase I’d use is short Tests are bad for business. I can’t be much more blunt than that. So I would like to see a slightly broader balance between the bat and the ball. I thought yesterday slightly favoured the ball. The batters have some ownership in some of that, it’s not all around the pitch, but we’ve got some challenges.”
Traditionally, CA leaves pitch preparation to local curators and state associations. That hands-off model may now be reviewed. “Historically we have taken a hands-off approach in all of our wicket preparation and allowed the staff and the conditions and those characteristics to be presented,” Greenberg said, before conceding, “But it’s hard not to get more involved when you see the impact on the sport, particularly commercially.”
So, what might “more involved” look like? Nothing as dramatic as head office staffers hovering over rollers, he insisted. “I’m not suggesting we’re going to go around talking to groundstaff, but we do have to have a careful eye on what our expectations are over the course of a summer.”
The broader financial backdrop matters here. CA has already trimmed administration roles and is chasing private investment in the Big Bash League. Another seven-figure hit from a shortened marquee Test would land at a tricky time.
Greenberg tried to strike a balance between acknowledging the paying public’s enjoyment and outlining the risks. “It was an amazing day of Test cricket, so for that record number of people who were here, boy, they’ve had an experience. But our challenge is to make sure we can continue those experiences day after day. That’s the challenge for all of us.”
In short, the cricket itself thrilled, yet the bigger picture makes administrators twitchy. A lively pitch is welcome; a six-session finish is not. Expect CA to keep a closer, perhaps slightly nervy, watch on drop-in strips for the rest of the summer.
