It's OK to have a little gloat at the problems of Australia but for the sake of test cricket it's important that they are quickly restored.
At present test cricket is only meaningful in England, Oz and maybe SA, so if the Australian public desert this format we're in big trouble.

India also, ask Tendulkar, Dravid etc.

I'ts great when top players enjoy test cricket but the signs are that the Indian public don't feel the same.

I think - like us - its doubtful that the Australian public would desert test cricket - the point of my article was really that the state of cricket in Oz will hopefully renew test cricket vigour

In the modern world the public like winners, so If Oz continue to underperform I'll be surprised if the public contine the level of support they've been giving.

So are we saying that only the English will continue to follow a losing team with the Grim hope that they will turn it around...
what am I saying - not being a fan - I forgot we had a football team...England supporters really will believe any rubbish thats fed to them - Best team/league etc in the world , gonna win the next world cup etc

hopefor:
What makes you think the Indian public doesn't care about Test cricket?
Are you one of them? Have you ever met anyone who has said so? How many of the Indian public (who live in India) do you know to make such an assessment?

All Indian cricket lovers celebrate Test cricket as the pinnacle of the game. Of course,winning the World Cup is probably their best moment in the last decade, but winning Tests and series against top teams is no less in their list.

And let's not forget the tag- India are No.1 in Tests- and have been for almost two years now. (They got there in Dec 2009)
To say that the public of a country cares the least about the sport in which it is the leader and most passionate follower is the height of ignorance.

Of the Tests played in India in 2010, you must go see how well the Tests in Kolkata and Bangalore were followed, both in the stadium and on TV.
Those Tests were played against South Africa and Australia- two of the most widely followed nations in India.

Why was the India-England tie the most watched match of the World Cup Group Stages (even more than India-South Africa?) That's because word had spread that England had won the Ashes in the grand style and it will be a titanic battle when India tour England in 2011.

That's the respect England received for achieving remarkable success in the Test arena. Nobody quite gave England a chance in the ODI arena.

Rex, the Indian public might enjoy watching test cricket from the comfort of their home, but the stadiums are rarely full in the way the they used to be.
Geoff Boycott who is a great lover of India often bemoans this fact.
India is not the only country where the public interest has wained, NZ, WI, Bangladesh and SL have similar problems.

hopefor:
NZ,WI, Bang and SL don't have much turnout for Tests because of two things- they're all small countries and developing ones too. You can't expect people to fill up stands for 5 days of cricket.

But in case you're wondering- the reason why Test cricket is still alive is because the biggest audience for the game- the Indian fans enjoy it. That is why Test cricket is still profitable.

We don't fill up stadiums because:
1. Stadiums don't have basic amenities (they didn't until they rebuilt all that for World Cup in 2011)- they're still 20-25 yr old toilets and other facilities.
2. There are high class stadiums- like Nagpur or Motera, but they are too far away from the urban city and transport is a massive problem. Why would you want to go watch a match in sweltering heat if you know you won't get good public transport to get back, especially at night?
3. Certain centers only patronize certain types of sport. That's quite natural- even in India, love for Test cricket is not universal, and love for watching it in a stadium rather than on TV, with the comfort of your home- replays, AC, home made food, toilets, choice to change channels or sleep in bed while you- is preferred than the stadium that costs tickets at abominable prices (Rs. 10,000 is the price for a decent seat.) and what's more you can't carry in water bottles or any kind of food.
Can't carry cameras or even binoculars nowadays it seems.

Why would I want to goto a stadium?

And yet Rex - ODIs get a good attendance ???

ODIs are conducted in rural centers like Rajkot, Gwalior etc where matches are rare so the match-starved crowds flock to any international match.

All of India knows that Tests were meant to be played only in certain grounds in India, but due to the quota system, there is an artificial push to stage more matches in Mohali and Nagpur. I once wrote an article about the enormous number of Tests that have been allotted in these centers due to the political clout of the then BCCI president Sharad Pawar. (Nagpur is his constituency)

You do not know so many things about Indian cricket and its problems.

"You do not know so many things about Indian cricket and its problems."

If thats aimed at me Rex you couldnt be much more wrong -- I know NOTHING about Indian cricket and its problems - outside of the games that I see them play as a neutral and a tiny piece of their history in the tours v eng over the last 25 years or so
I post on here to discuss and get opinions/facts and knowledge from all perspectives - not argue - none of my posts are aggressive - Im not sure why you seem so defensive over everything that mentions an Indian cricketer or the game - you seem to be very knowledgable and I learn a lot from your comments - a level and fair view is not really one of your strong points though

In the land of the blind - the one eyed man is king!

I am hoping that 1 day I will have enough knowledge to form an opinion on your beloved cricket

lydneyian:
You're calling me defensive? What's all that rambling about a simple statement of your ignorance?

I was wrong about only one thing- I just gave you more credit than you deserve.
Why is a statement of truth about your ignorance called an attack? And you're calling me defensive! What rubbish!

As for my one-eyed view etc. I can only laugh.

You who know something about Indian cricket know nothing about me! So your comments about my attitude will go where they have reserved a place the moment they left your mind and were made public- straight into the drain.

Learn to comment about the problems not about the persons. If you do not know something, people will say so. If you perceive that as an attack you have no right to be in a discussion/debate.

I couldn't care less if you wish debate with me or not. Nor do I care about your opinion of my views. So don't waste your breath on that.

Try spending your breath on learning about Indian cricket since you seem passionate to know more about that.

I need say no more

lydneyian:
Indeed- I didn't think you had much to say anyway, considering you know so little about the matter.

I get the feeling that Rex got out the 'wrong side of the bed' this morning.

hopefor:
Is that supposed to be a wisecrack?
Quite a weak-crack that is.

aaannnywaay - back to normality and the subject in hand - Shane Warne was on the TV yesterday - he does not seem that impressed with the goings on within Cricket Australia - he said that katich was an easy target - as opposed to dropping Ponting - who he said was averaging only 25 in the last 12 months or so - again all the conversations gearing toward the Ashes - although in fairness - it was Sky - and if you get an Aussie on English TV - that is inevitable I suppose

Warne always speaks his mind Ian and he's practically above criticism in this country. He loves to drop the odd verbal bombshell - that's his game and the average punter admires him for that. He's right about Katich being an easy target but is also having a go at Ponting by bringing up his poor form again. However, Punter is also semi-immune (for the time being anyway) due to his previous high status.

I think Ricky's statement yesterday - praising Katich for his steady contributions, yet declaring nobody (i.e. Kato) has a guaranteed place in the team during our current phase - is interesting. (it was on sports news here this morning) Let's hope he accepts the same when his time eventually arrives.

It could get even more ugly than Katich's parting swipe at CA!

Here's an article a mate of mine wrote the other day. I don't necessarily agree with it all but I can see what he's saying. A team member is not going to make a noise when he's still in the side. It's only afterwards when the true emotions surface do we learn the double-edged nature of a sportsman's apparently laissez-faire existence within a high-stakes environment.

http://www.theroar.com.au/2011/06/13/an-undignified-exit-by-katich/

I can understand Katich not venting his frustrations to the public earlier (as was suggested by Junior) - that would be akin to self-sacrifice!

Its a fair point - but the bigger picture if you are going to make waves about the set up whilst in the team is not your own place - but the whole team harmony and foundations are put in jeopardy - Look at Pakistan - not many of those guys pull many punches - and look where it gets them.

I doubt any of the Australian squad would want that blood on their hands - imagine if it was around ashes time - jeez the English press would have a field day

Exactly Ian.

Maybe we did need a Harvey, Border or Waugh, etc to weigh in with a statement at the right time - but not weeks before an Ashes series as was the case in going through the various spin bowlers. It should have been sorted out well before (months rather than weeks) and also decisions should have been made about possible replacement players should there be injuries. That's bad for team morale and supporter confidence too.

The selection process seemed too ad-hoc and the selectors treated certain players at arms length (all too ready to discard them if things didn't go to plan) rather than show full confidence and support through thick and thin times on and off the field.

Im starting to think - and youll know better than me line - that it all has to come from a bulletproof captain - Border started it - he built a team and took no S**T from anyone - either Australian or foreign - Waugh and Taylor were similar wernt they?????? I always thought of Waugh as Australia when I was younger - as in "any questions - you come through me mate" sort of guy. I wonder if the Talent and personalities stopped Ponting from being effective in that way - Clarke certainly doesnt strike me as the kind of guy to stand up to the selectors anyway

i really don't know what aussie selectors have been sniffing over the last year, but what ever it is, it has meant that they have become incapable of selecting the best team. this is the team that SHOULD have faced england last winter

Phil Jaques (why he was dropped i will never know)
Simon Katich (quality batsman)
Ricky Ponting (duh)
Mike Hussey ("
Michael Clarke ("
Shane Watson (not really an opener in my book. he's done ok, but he could really flourish if he was played in the middle order)
Brad haddin (arguably best WKB in the world)
Mitchell Johnson (he takes wickets,highest aussie wicket taker in series)
Nathan Hauritz (he knows his limitations, and does a good job at containing, which is more than can be said for doherty and bear)
Peter Siddle
Ryan Harris (when fit)

with that team, they might have stood a chance