I would consider allowing state teams to import some players from overseas like they do in county cricket. For years the quality of our state comp has been one of the best in the world but when players can dominate that then made to look like mugs at international level then there is clearly a gulf. The mindset and technique of our batsmen just is not tested enough at that level so nothing gets done.
It would be easier for cricketers to play n England because it is off-season for many players. It may be worth remembering that England was the top dog of world cricket in the early 1970s when just about every class cricketer went there to earn an income. The immediate effect was a higher quality of cricket. The downside was in order to earn their incomes, international players were expected to do most of the work. By the mid 1970s we began to see a decline in the standard of England's Test team because good young players weren't coming through the system. They remained a very poor Test team for the better part of 30 years.
In Sheffield Shield, we have seen this happen on a much lesser scale. Some states have deployed international players more than others. South Australia have brought Garfield Sobers and Barry Richards in to great effect. Sheffield Shields were won in SA, and the profile of cricket increased. However, their departures left massive voids and we saw South Australia greatly weakened by their absence. Short term fantastic, long term ineffective. It's interesting that the more successful states, NSW, Vic and WA rarely recruited overseas players.
I've often advocated 1 season where we place all our emphasis on raising the profile of Sheffield Shield cricket. This would involve each state recruiting 2 overseas players for a season of Sheffield Shield matches as well as T20 and ODIs. It would also mean shelving BBL for 1 season and I can't see administrators agreeing to that. Also, getting players to sign for entire season when there are so many other ways to earn attractive money.
So long as cricket remains a slave to the almighty dollar, and ignores the sacrifices the game needs to make, it will never improve.
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