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Alec Stewart column: Ashes rivalry - less should be more

By Alec StewartFormer England captain and BBC Radio 5 live summariser

Last updated on .From the section Cricketcomments50

Brett Lee celebrates a wicket against Ireland

Congratulations to England on their one-day and Twenty20 victories over the West Indies.

After the relatively straightforward Test series success, I certainly thought it would be a much tougher task with the arrival of the West Indies' Indian Premier League stars, but England were clinical and totally outplayed the tourists.

Next up, we have Australia in what should be a much more difficult assignment for this England side, but before we analyse their chances, let's just address the question of whether this series should be taking place at all.

I fully appreciate the financial incentives of staging five one-day internationals, which are worth far more to the England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) coffers than a Test match.

I also understand it's a reciprocal arrangement to allow England to play in a triangular series in Australia before the 2015 World Cup and we should not underestimate the importance of improving our chances of success in a global competition that we have never won.

However, from a pure cricketing point of view, I would much rather see an extra Test match or two against South Africa. This is a major series between numbers one and two in the world rankings and it would be good to have competed over at least four - and ideally five - Tests to do justice to the quality of the teams.

The other danger is that by playing Australia again in this format after only last hosting them in 2010, are we seeing too much of the old enemy and thus running the risk of diluting the Ashes in 12 months' time?

I have always believed that less is more and I just hope we do not lose some of the excitement and anticipation that builds in the run-up to an Ashes series.

The ECB has a difficult balancing act in weighing up what is best for the England cricket team in all forms of the game, what is best for the finances of the board and what is best for the public.

Limited-overs matches currently do tend to sell out grounds and in doing so help provide much-needed financial assistance to the game from top to bottom, but in choosing to stage 14 of them this summer, is that balance slightly wrong?

England have shown that in home conditions they are a pretty strong force, their batsmen and bowlers adapting well to the challenge posed by the two white balls.

I was delighted to see Ian Bell silence a few of his less-informed critics with a couple of excellent knocks against the West Indies, while Alastair Cook, another player whose one-day credentials were questioned when he was appointed captain of the 50-over team, continues to goes from strength to strength.

I've always wished for people to focus as much on what individuals can do, rather than just what they perceive to be their weaknesses.

Australia are top of the one-day rankings and will present a stiff challenge under the leadership of Michael Clarke, whose game seems to have gone to another level since taking over the captaincy.

David Warner can be a very destructive batsman at the top of the order, while the young bowlers Pat Cummins and James Pattinson have made impressive starts to their international careers.

I don't see it as a huge advantage or disadvantage for England to be having a look at their two new quick bowlers a year out from the next Ashes series, as it also allows Cummins and Pattinson to gain some valuable experience of English conditions.

The Ashes are still 12 months away, but whoever wins this series will feel as though they have landed the first punch.

Alec Stewart was talking to BBC Sport's Sam Sheringham.

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50 comments

  • Comment posted by U14941396, at 06:40 27 Jun 2012

    Totally agree about the money focus - very sad indeed. Our family are about as cricket mad as you can get and this overkill devalues the game hugely.Beware beware beware - we are falling out of love with the game and there are five of us aged 10, 13,15, 46 and 48.

  • Comment posted by SportsFan, at 23:27 26 Jun 2012

    Cricket is all about the money these days. The countries are more keen of making as much money possible by playing too many matches each year. Why on earth are England playing Australia in a ODI series this summer? The only reason is for the money, nothing else. Cricket is not sustainable like this in the long-term. Cricket needs big changes now. India is over killing T20 cricket with the IPL.

  • Comment posted by U14978878, at 16:36 26 Jun 2012

    Once again you have to question the scheduling for England. The most eagely awaited test series since we took over the no1 spot and it'll be all over before it has properly got going. The fixtures need looking at with a standard model being brought in for all the test playing nations. Im not saying every series should be 5 tests, but surely the series between the top two should be over 5 games?

  • Comment posted by Numbnuts, at 14:45 26 Jun 2012

    Totally agree. Waste of time this ODI series. Absoiutely crazy we are only playing 3 tests against SA. Should be 5. Far too much utterly meaningless and pointless limited over cricket this season.

  • Comment posted by DAVID McKAY, at 23:14 26 Jun 2012

    The Indian Cricket Board (alias Sachin Tendulkar) don't want DRS because its not fullproof. Rubbish they have umpires that aren't fullproof. They don't want it because unlike umpires it cannot be pressurised into giving wrong decisions. Tendulkar has a huge following in India and like W G Grace people go to see him. Giving him out early in his innings affects gate receipts and it all about money.

  • Comment posted by Lateralis85, at 21:48 26 Jun 2012

    @Mangesh (comment 30). Umpires themselves are proven to be unreliable. Should we then get rid of umpires and just pack in the game?

    There are some aspects of the DRS which are not foolproof, and some of its implementation isn't great either. But the DRS gets right far more than it gets wrong, and when there is doubt the decision remains with the umpire, as it should be.

  • Comment posted by GlostForWords, at 20:00 26 Jun 2012

    Totally agree. The cricket calendar this year is insane. Only three tests v SA, a totally out of context one day series which I can muster no enthusiasm for, a mad slew of T20 games so not even the keenest fan will want to attend anything but a small percentage, & 6 weeks without a championship game at the height of the season. A rushed, incomprehensible recipe for killing off everyone's interest.

  • Comment posted by U15321285, at 17:42 26 Jun 2012

    Totally agree with Alec. Ridiculous to be wasting the chance to have a 5 Test series with SA, the No2 Test side in the world. Maybe a triangular 1 day series would have been a better idea with WI,SA & Eng. Keep the Aussies for Ashes series

  • Comment posted by U11264858, at 17:28 26 Jun 2012

    Everyone but the ECB can see this ODI series is meaningless, and has caused the SA series to be reduced down to 3 tests. No wonder KP quit ODIs, they are outdated and just cash cows now.

  • Comment posted by lea and lance, at 17:27 26 Jun 2012

    I quite agree with Alec. I seem to remember some years ago the Australians talking about not playing a 5 test series against us as we were not good enough! How times change!!!

    As South Africa is ranked 2nd and we are now 1st a full five test series against them should be the case not some meaningless one dayers against the Aussies. After all they are here next summer.

  • Comment posted by U14569148, at 17:13 26 Jun 2012

    The days when scheduling considered the good of the game are long gone Im afraid. The game is busy ruining itself and nobody seems to mind as long as the tv cash comes rolling in.

  • Comment posted by deutschtoffeeston, at 15:23 26 Jun 2012

    Test cricket is the only true game - 20-20 and ODI are exciting, but good weather and a good Test Match are surely the two ingredients this summer needs tomake it more memorable than Euro 2012 and even the Olympics. Don't forget that it was the Ashes that stopped the Stock Market (not even Lehman Bros managed that!)

  • Comment posted by Olly_williamson_BBC, at 14:55 26 Jun 2012

    There is all this talk of there being too much international cricket being played, yet we have silly series like this. why do we need the champions trophy any more, why not just have the T20 and 50 over world cups, every 3 or 4 years? and then leave countries to fill the rest of the time with their own schedule. Also 5 tests for RSA is a must and an insult to test fans in both countries!

  • Comment posted by U14248718, at 14:49 26 Jun 2012

    I think Alec hit the nail on the head another couple of Tests with the South Africans would have been better than a poor Windes and a One day series from the Aussies. All it does is give them a moral boosting trip prior to the worlds.20/20.

    South Africa are the test team to beat. Do that and then England you will be the No1 Test team in the world.

  • Comment posted by StGeorgeCross, at 14:08 26 Jun 2012

    Agree with other posts and Alec's column - no need for this ODI series - should have had minimum 4 tests against South Africa. Also what is ridiculous is the additional Ashes test series added in next year to create back to back Home and Away series- why?, why?, why? if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

  • Comment posted by U15320996, at 13:39 26 Jun 2012

    I totally agree. Test match cricket is the pinnacle of cricket at the two highest ranked nations are only playing a 3 test match series?! I think it's a joke. I know that England need to improve their one day cricket, but at home we're as good as anybody so this series has little to no meaning. If we really wanted to improve surely having a mini series in the sub continent would be a better plan?!

  • Comment posted by Rich_Owl, at 13:30 26 Jun 2012

    Sterwie is spot on. Surely the paying public will lose interest in series that have no obvious rhyme or reason other than to make money. I usually follow the ODI series which are before or after the 'main event' which is a Test series, but this one will probably pass me by. Roll on the SA series.

  • Comment posted by FleetJackHobbs, at 13:24 26 Jun 2012

    I too would prefer a 5 Test series against RSA. The weather factor, well made @4, is pertinent, this summer especially, it seems. Last winter, at Napier, Hamilton and Dunedin, the S. Africans were denied by adverse weather. They won't feel best pleased if poor English weather dominates the tour this summer. Five Tests v. a top Test nation gives us the opportunity to get absorbed in the series.

  • Comment posted by U15320969, at 13:07 26 Jun 2012

    What I really don't get is, why not "farm" this series out to some of the county grounds who have had serious financial woes, especially following the ECB 'bidding war' period, which forced a a lot of counties to invest a lot of money, only to realise it would in vain anyway. Instead the Aus ODIs will take place at the usual grounds, most of whom are already set to host England twice this summer.

  • Comment posted by lampshademusic, at 13:03 26 Jun 2012

    Once again we see TV pulling the strings , can every one not see the crowds are down in 20/20 and the one day games . Test matches are the true test of greatness amongst cricketers , lets play 5 or 6 test series against the top three teams and 3 test series against the lower ranked teams . This will ensure test matches to be the supreme test as it should be .

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