T20 cricket cannot be stopped, will kill everything in its way: Dean Jones

Australian Herald (ANI) Saturday 4th February, 2012

Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones has said Australian cricket administrators need to be careful with Twenty20 cricket, as the shortest version of the game is killing everything in its way.

"T20 cricket cannot be stopped. It is a runaway train prepared to kill everything in its way. I am not joking when I say this. If we don't handle T20 cricket properly, it will crush everything in its way, including the Test and one-day formats," said Jones in his column for the Sydney Morning Herald.

He believes Australian cricket administrators need to make sure that the players for financial reasons don't ignore the Australian domestic cricket championship-the Sheffield Shield.

He said measures should be taken so that talented Australian cricketers aren't swayed away by the lure of big money available in other T20 competitions like the Indian Premier League (IPL) or the newly launched Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

"Players are traveling the world playing in T20 competitions in England, South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe. Sri Lanka is trying to get a T20 competition up this year, and Pakistan is talking about hosting a massive T20 series by the end of the year that will match IPL revenues."

"So, there is plenty of money for any cricketer, junior or senior. So, how do we stop youngsters who don't want to play Sheffield Shield cricket from following the T20 gravy train?"

Jones said the International Cricket Council (ICC) should regulate Test and ODI payments around the world to make sure these formats can compete with T20 in the future.

"First, the ICC must standardize Test and ODI payments around the world; make it financially rewarding for players who do play international cricket for their country," he added. (ANI)