Domestic and International cricket go hand-in-hand - Part 1 - Opinion
The best teams in the world today have often gone through plenty of hindrances to get to where they are. Other teams have succeeded by heavily relying on the rub of the green to go their way in major tournaments. Teams such as Sri Lanka had banked upon a few important events in the World Cups, to transform themselves from minnows to juggernauts. One fact that cannot be disputed however is the role that a nation’s domestic circuit plays in ensuring that the best cricketers emerge from an array of different localities, counties and districts. Some of the best teams in the world today have benefitted from robust domestic structures.
Australia is the most obvious example that comes to mind. The KFC Big Bash, The Pura Cup and various Four Day competitions across the country have helped in developing the game in a nation which has always had a strong tradition of producing excellent cricketers. Australia’s domestic circuit is probably the best in the world and various teams such as the South Australian Red backs and the Victorian Bushrangers are on par with sides such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746, where its status as a popular sport has never really been threatened. Students in high school are supposed to partake in sports as a prerequisite for graduating.
A nation such as Australia, which is blessed with a top bottom approach, would always bank upon its domestic circuit to product quality cricketers. In other countries, domestic circuits have proven to be futile, despite being competitive in nature. Countries such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Neil-Killeen-c79132 instinct in a team which had historically crumbled under pressure. Yet if one is to sideline or belittle the BPL and consider Bangladesh’s domestic leagues only, then there is plenty which needs to be contemplated over in terms of quality players emerging at the international level.
Other teams around the world, such as England, have some of the strongest domestic sides in the world, yet have failed to produce top quality cricketers in previous years. Teams such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 had historically struggled in the ODI format due to their own negligence, despite being consistently competitive in the Test match arena.
This fact can in part be attributed to the massive influx of foreign players who sign up contracts with teams such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Shane-Keith-Warne-c89672. The locals however, barring a few exceptions, were largely unheard of and absconded into the distance after making their mark in the domestic circuit. This again boils down to the proliferation of the game which starts at grass roots level in a country where football has historically dominated.
Continued in Part 2...
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