The Australian CEO says in 100 days of the UK’s first ash game that Test cricket needs quality, not quantity.
Australian cricket chief Todd Greenberg says a slimmer test calendar could benefit small countries as the five-day game is better “where it means something.”
It marked 100 days before the Home Ash Series with England began in Perth, and Cricket Australia CEO Greenberg suggested that quality, not quantity, is important to keep the Red Ball game viable.
“We are trying to get countries to bankrupt if we force them to try and play Test cricket,” he told reporters.
“We need to make sure we invest in the right space to play Test cricket where it means something.
“That’s why ashes are so huge and profitable, because it means something.”
The UK has just completed a thrilling 2-2 self-drawn series with India in front of a sold-out crowd.
At the same time, New Zealand and Australia won easy overseas Test series victories against the uncompetitive West Indies and Zimbabwe teams, leaving a question mark on the quality of Test cricket in those countries.
One idea is to create two or more divisions of Test cricket to stay competitive, but Greenberg said he doesn’t have a strong opinion on the ideal number of Test play countries.
“Let’s think about what the future looks like,” he said.
However, the five-day match remained Australia’s rude health, Greenberg said his interest in ashes “off the charts.”
“This will be Australia’s biggest sporting event this year,” Greenberg said.
“The interest is extremely extraordinary as ticket allocations for the 11th of the 20 days on sale are already exhausted.”
Australia was defeated by South Africa in the final of the 2025 World Test Championships held at London’s Road Cricket Ground in June.
