Find a structured way of T20 take over: Brian Lara urges ICC to save Test cricket
New Delhi, May 8: Admitting that T20 leagues have devoured a lot of Test cricket’s space, West Indian legend Brian Lara has appealed to the ICC to step in to give a structure to the unrelenting invasion of the franchise-based tournaments.
In the latest instance that fuelled questions over the relevance of Tests, South Africa recently sent an under-strength squad to New Zealand as their first-choice players were involved in the SA20 at home.
“I think ICC (should) put their head together and find a way where franchise cricket takes over, but in a much more structured way and not in terms of the free fall that is going on at the moment,” Lara said in an interaction with PTI editors at its headquarters which was facilitated by Star Sports where he is a commentator and expert for the ongoing IPL.
“I hope the astute thinkers could find a way to make sure that it (Test) remains relevant. I like the Test Championship and I think it is important to make sure that the game remains relevant.”
So, is cricket now taking the football route where leagues take precedence over international assignments?
While Lara agreed in principle to the point, he found differences too in the two models.
“Well, yes (cricket following the football way). Let's just look at football. For instance, other than the big cups – European cups, World Cup, South American cups – they may have a few friendlies. So, Barcelona, Manchester United, Manchester City, they have their footballers generally for 11 months of the year.
“That seems to be working for football. It's taken off the burden as well for each country to be finding ways of making money by having football matches,” Lara began.
But Lara said the wealth being accumulated among three big nations – India, Australia and England – presented a rather different scenario in cricket.
“The West Indies now is in a situation where our gate receipts can't make us survive. So, we are very thankful whenever India tours the West Indies. It's a lot of TV rights money passing around which is great.
“So, it's hard to see outside of the big three – Australia, England and India – how countries are going to survive when economically it's tough for them.”
From a cricketing perspective, the elegant left-hander said teams often not having their best players available also make things tough for teams outside the big three.
Lara might have had someone like Trent Boult in mind as the pacer recently turned down New Zealand central contract to become a T20 freelancer.
“Secondly, they (teams) don't have their best players playing because their best players are making a living for their family elsewhere (leagues),” he added.
In March this year, BCCI had introduced a Test Cricket Incentive Scheme, an additional reward structure on top of the existing match fee, to ensure parity with match fees in other formats and leagues.
Lara welcomed the step but added that bringing spectators to the ground was equally paramount to sustain the game and the sponsors’ interest.
“Incentivizing, or what BCCI is doing because they have the money, is one aspect of it. Of course, remuneration to the players is great to keep them interested in the game.
“But when you're walking to a Test match and there's nobody at that Test match, then it's not encouraging. Try to get them (crowd) back into the ground,” said Lara.
The Trinidadian said having a stadium packed to the rafters is important from the sponsors’ view as well.
“I'm almost sure you’ve experienced it in India, where a sponsor preferred to spend his money on three hours of cricket instead of five days of cricket. ‘Hey, you have five days to promote your product.’
“The corporate person will say: ‘But there's nobody to promote it to. Give me three hours. I will pay even more money.’ So, I think getting the crowd back is also something that should be discussed,” he explained.
While Lara has little doubt that the T20 version caters to spectators’ demands, he said the modern-day viewers should be educated about the unique ebbs and flow of five-day cricket.
“Well, I hope it hasn't (Test not losing relevance). The shorter version of the game is taken over and it is entertainment and that's what people look for. We haven't educated the present-day public about the importance of batting a session and not losing a wicket."
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19-yr-old woman found hanging from tree in UP village; juvenile held
Lucknow/Pratapgarh (UP) (PTI): Police have apprehended a 16-year-old boy for his alleged involvement in the rape and murder of a 19-year-old woman whose body was found hanging from a tree in a village here, officials said on Monday.
Additional Superintendent of Police (West), Brijnandan Rai, said that the body of a 19-year-old woman was found hanging from a tree in an orchard in the Manikpur police station area on Sunday morning. A post-mortem examination subsequently confirmed that she had been raped.
Police registered a case against unidentified persons under sections 103(1) (punishment for murder) and 70(1) (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and initiated an investigation.
During the course of the investigation, the police found that the deceased was in contact with a juvenile who was also her relative.
Acting on this information, during a joint checking operation, sub-inspector Amit Kumar Singh of Manikpur police station and SOG In-charge Amit Kumar Chaurasia, along with their team, apprehended the 16-year-old near the Lehdari Ganga River bridge.
The search for other accused persons is ongoing, police said.
According to the police, the woman had gone to sleep after dinner on Saturday night but was found hanging in an orchard nearly 400 metres away from her home the following morning.
Additional Superintendent of Police (West), Brijnandan Rai, had earlier said that the circumstances suggest foul play.
"The victim's slippers and undergarments were recovered 50 metres away from the spot where the body was found. There are visible injury marks on her body," Rai said.
While locals have alleged that the woman was murdered after being raped, the ASP said that it is "prima facie a case of murder."
"Based on the complaint filed by the victim's brother, a case of murder has been registered against unidentified persons," the officer added.
Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, in a post on X in Hindi on Monday, said, "The news of the heinous murder of a Dalit daughter in Pratapgarh is deeply tragic and condemnable."
"The question remains: why does the spate of murders of 'PDA daughters' continue unabated in Uttar Pradesh? Are the BJP government's claims regarding women's safety merely hollow rhetoric, or is there, in fact, discrimination even in the provision of security for women?" he said.
"Whenever the 'wandering Honourable (ghumantu maananiye)' finds a moment of respite from election campaigning, he should cast a glance at the plight of the daughters of his own Uttar Pradesh. In any case, apart from injustice and oppression, no sister, daughter, or mother of this state holds any hope from you," Yadav added.
