Former Black Caps test opener Mark Richardson believes cricket has “lost a bit of its identity”, particularly in New Zealand.
The sport is undergoing significant change domestically, following the appointment of Geoff Allott as New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, plans for a revamped T20 league, and the return of broadcast coverage to Sky.
Richardson has also confirmed he will not be part of the commentary team under the new arrangement.
Richardson’s feelings on the current state of the game stem in part from frustration that New Zealand rarely gets the chance to field their best test side because of scheduling and commercial pressures, such as conflicting domestic leagues around the world or players who are on casual playing contracts.
In the home summer season just gone, they only played three tests against the West Indies last December, as the campaign was largely focused on preparing for the T20 World Cup, where they went on to lose in the final to India.
Speaking on the Leaders Getting Coffee with Bruce Cotterill podcast, Richardson, who played 38 tests for the Black Caps, admits he does find cricket hard to support due to its current state.
“I’ll always support New Zealand in test cricket but there’s not enough of it,” Richardson said.
“If we put our best team on the park right now, we would be a wonderful test side, but it just doesn’t happen.
“I can understand why it doesn’t happen. I’m not bitter about why it doesn’t happen, it’s just how it is now. It’s just lost a bit of identity.”
While Richardson accepts that’s the reality now, he admits it is harder for him as a fan to emotionally invest.
“I used to get frustrated watching the Super Smash because it’s a good standard of cricket, but there’d hardly be anyone in the ground,” Richardson said.
“Then I’d watch the Caribbean League or IPL and I’d see players I recognised and think, ‘Oh, he played well,’ or, ‘I thought he played for them.’
“But as a New Zealand fan, I care about New Zealand cricket. I like watching New Zealand cricket and I want us to put the best possible team on the park.
“The only thing that should stop you doing that is injury, but that’s not the case now. I think you just have to accept that and be a fan of the game as it is now.”
As cricket continues to change, Richardson’s involvement in the sport will be limited moving forward after TVNZ lost the rights to broadcast cricket to Sky.
Richardson, who has been in the commentary booth for the past 20 years since he retired, said he accepts there probably won’t be a seat for him in the upcoming summer, which he does feel sad about.
“I think it’ll be awkward come next season,” Richardson said. “That’s been the one constant, I’ve been a cricket commentator from the minute I left the game.
“I love it. It’s an absolute passion. It’s been the job that’s paid me the least, but it’s the job I’d be the last one to resign from.
“But when another player comes in and the rights change hands, they want to put their own flavour on it. I accept there’s probably not a seat for me next year with Sky.”
Richardson says he is fully focused on his new role, working as an investment adviser at Forsyth Barr.
“I’m in a proper career and I’m building a business with a partner,” Richardson said. “When you’re building a business, you’ve got to be 100% focused on that.
“There are people’s nest eggs at play here. I can’t be doing a half-arsed job just because a part of me still wants to be doing the commentary.”
The Black Caps are currently in Bangladesh and will be aiming to end their T20 series on a high with a win in their third match in Dhaka on Saturday.
New Zealand lost the previous ODI series 2-1, while they trail 1-0 in the T20 series.
Following that, they have a one-off test against Ireland before a three-test series in England in June.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.