Overhauled finals format to put more pressure on Australia's domestic cricketers
Agar backs revamped JLT One-Day Cup
Ashton Agar has backed the changes to this year's JLT One-Day Cup domestic 50-over competition that will see more knock-out games in a revamped finals format.
Agar has been a standout performer for Australia in a disappointing ODI tour of the UK that concludes at Old Trafford on Sunday night.
Australia have been outplayed across the park by England, and some pundits have criticised the structure of Australia's domestic 50-over competition that sees games played in carnival format as a contributing factor to the national team's ODI woes.
Aus won the last WC. Around then, our OD state comp added the CA XI, was condensed and played in Sept at club grounds, and promoted youth over hardened, experienced players. Subsequently, the standard of state OD cricket is weaker than it used to be. Quae Seminarveris Metes https://t.co/FgYsP2kWzt— Daniel Christian (@danchristian54) June 23, 2018
Australia have lost 15 of their past 17 ODIs, have slipped to sixth in the world rankings, and are on the brink of a first-ever 5-0 whitewash against England in any format.
Agar said the extended block of KFC BBL mid-summer helped develop white-ball skills that were important to both formats, adding the domestic 50-over scheduling was something worth considering.
"There's an argument for both sides on that. I know there's always discussion about that scheduling because I guess some players are fine with it and some aren't happy with it," said Agar.
"A lot of Big Bash cricket certainly helps, that six to eight weeks in the middle of the year.
"You have the one-dayers, (Sheffield) Shield cricket and then a massive Big Bash period and then there is a lot of international white-ball cricket around that time.
"Maybe that's something to look at. I guess we always have to look at ways to improve and maybe that might be a way."
Changes to the coming summer’s JLT Cup domestic one-day tournament will see the removal of the Cricket Australia XI development team but an expansion of the finals schedule that means the side that finishes bottom of the table could still win through to claim the title.
The change means the JLT Cup returns to a traditional six-team state-based format with all six teams involved in elimination matches after 15 preliminary matches.
After the preliminary rounds, the sixth-placed finisher meets third and fifth play fourth in two qualifying finals, and the winners of those matches will play the top two teams in a pair of semi-finals.
"(It's) good. There's more opportunity for everyone under pressure, which is what you get here, and it's just a way of giving everyone another chance to play in that final," said Agar.
While Australia's ODI game needs work less than 12 months out from the World Cup, the T20 side sits second in the world rankings ahead of this week's one-off match against England at Edgbaston.
Australia's ODI squad was bolstered by the arrival of T20 players Nic Maddinson, Mitch Swepson and Jack Wildermuth on Saturday.
Agar, who has been a standout performer with the Perth Scorchers, said there was an increasing cross-over of skills between the 20 and 50-over formats.
"It's definitely different but with the way white-ball cricket is going, it's all getting pretty aggressive, especially with the bat and one-day cricket is starting to become a lot more like Twenty20 cricket," Agar said.
"So there are certain skills that are so important in Twenty20 cricket that are as equally important in one-day cricket."
Tim Paine, Nathan Lyon, Shaun Marsh and Michael Neser all depart the tour after the final ODI before Thursday's one-off T20 in Birmingham and the following tri-series in Zimbabwe also featuring Pakistan.
Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe
Australia ODI squad: Tim Paine (c), Aaron Finch (vc), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey, Travis Head, Nathan Lyon, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye
England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Sam Billings, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Craig Overton, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey, Mark Wood
Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth
England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey
Qantas Tour of the UK
June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove
June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's
June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval
June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff
June 19: England won by 242 runs at Trent Bridge
June 21: England won by six wickets in Durham
June 24: Fifth ODI, Old Trafford
June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)
Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe
July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan
July 2: Pakistan vs Australia
July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe
July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan
July 5: Pakistan vs Australia
July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe
July 8: Final