Nowadays, people are not enjoying the 50-over format of cricket as stands remain empty most of the time.
The same thing was evident during the recent three-match ODI series between Australia and England.
During the match at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground, only around 4,000 people turned up to watch the match.
Only days before, a crowd of around 80,000 people watched the T20 World Cup final between England and Pakistan at this very venue.
Former Australia great Glenn McGrath in a recent interview has talked about the declining nature of ODI cricket.
McGrath has called for serious action in improvements in the 50-over format.
He has himself said that he still prefers ODI cricket over T20 cricket.
I do hope ODI cricket carries on, I’ve got a lot of great memories of it and I would still put the ODI World Cup as more important than the T20. But the format is under the pump and we need to look at how we keep people coming to these games.
It was so disappointing to see crowds like that, ODIs are really under the pump at the moment.
Adding further he says,
Melbourne is classed as the sporting capital of Australia, if not the world, they absolutely love their sport. So for them to turn out in the numbers they did speaks volumes about where we’re at.
Glenn McGrath will be leaving for the UK shortly to be a part of a theatre tour with his Test Match Special commentary partner Jonathan Agnew that will also pave the way for the Ashes 2023.
Usually, McGrath predicts 5-0 wins for Australia in Test cricket, but he still wants England to put up a competitive spirit in the Ashes this time around.
I love coming to the UK, it’s always amazing how many English people come to me and say ‘I used to hate you with a passion when you played, but now you’re retired you’re OK.
Says McGrath further,
I take that as a compliment. There’s a bit of mutual respect and fun there. I’m not sure what happened in the last Ashes but it wasn’t good. England didn’t even show up.
McGrath also said that England have really changed under Brendon McCullum’s coaching and Australia can learn a lot from them.
They back themselves really well and when it comes off it’s amazing. I think Australia could even take a leaf out of their book and just go out there backing themselves.
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