Cricket: Too much of a good thing says Fleming

Black Caps skipper Stephen Fleming has joined the chorus calling for less cricket.

While New Zealand's pickings look slim this summer with the Government-inspired cancellation of the Zimbabwe return series, Fleming believes international cricket is choking on the volume of its own fixtures.

New Zealand faces a diet of one-day cricket this summer, with potentially only two domestic tests against the West Indies to break the monotony.

But Fleming said the problem was not so much the ratio of one-dayers to tests but the amount of international cricket being played.

Speaking from Zimbabwe where New Zealand are preparing for the second test against the woeful hosts at Bulawayo, Fleming said: "The balance we play as regards to tests versus ODIs is usually pretty good. This year is a little bit unique with the Zimbabwe [return] series being cancelled or postponed, whatever you want to call it. We lose a couple of tests there."

But Fleming is adamant there needs to be a reduction of playing schedules. "The world game is suffering by playing too much cricket."

It is hard to argue with Fleming's logic. A glance at the International Cricket Council's future tours until the end of this year reveals the abundance of cricket (see graphic). Bear in mind tours usually comprise a minimum of two tests and five ODIs, and often more.

There are 11 separate series to be played up until the end of the year, including the ICC's showpiece Super Series in Australia, which involves three ODIs under the roof at Melbourne's Telstra Dome and a six-day test in Sydney.

Only 20 years ago between September and December there were just three series played.

Ten years ago there were seven series played in the corresponding months.

The reasons for the increase are the inclusion of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as full member nations; the ICC's future tours programme which has ensured every country gets its fair share of tours from the big nations like Australia, India and England; and, most pertinently, the insatiable appetite for cricket on the subcontinent, which has broadcasters paying big money for an endless diet of ODIs.

FIXTURE LOGJAM

SEP 2005: England host Australia; Zimbabwe host New Zealand.

OCT 2005: Super Series in Australia; Australia host West Indies; South Africa host New Zealand; Zimbabwe host India.

NOV 2005: Australia host West Indies; India host Sri Lanka;

Pakistan host England

DEC 2005: Pakistan host England; Australia host South Africa;

New Zealand host Zimbabwe (potentially cancelled); New Zealand host Australia (Chappell-Hadlee Trophy).

- HERALD ON SUNDAY