Healy rips ‘mind-boggling’ scheduling decision costing champions
The Australian women’s cricket team are calling on their governing body, Cricket Australia, to rethink their scheduling after they warned that poorly timed fixtures threaten to strip the world-champion team of crucial visibility.
Australia began its home summer with a 3-0 ODI victory over Bangladesh in Brisbane, and now have a trio of T20s against New Zealand in Sydney, starting on Sunday.
The Aussie team is being hit with scheduling problems. Getty Images
However, frustration is mounting over the fact that all three Sydney matches fall right before school nights, alienating their youngest fans and their parents.
Following this series, the world no.1 ranked team will endure a massive gap in the calendar, not playing on home soil again until they host New Zealand for ODIs in March 2027.
Players fear this schedule risks keeping the national team out of sight and out of mind, stunting the momentum generated by yet another T20 World Cup victory.
The disbelief was vocalised by former Australian captain Alyssa Healy, who slammed the decision to host evening games on weekends when the venues are entirely unoccupied during the day.
“(The games are at night) at North Sydney Oval, when North Sydney Oval is free all day,” she said, speaking on the Keepin’ it Cricket podcast.
“There is some mind-boggling stuff happening around cricket at the moment. It does make a difference. I mean, first and foremost, the scheduling. You’ve got your world champions back on home soil playing cricket.
“Fine, it’s this time of year, it’s not ideal, but this is potentially the only window that we’ll get. Three T20 fixtures at 7.15pm starts. First one is a Sunday night.
“7.15pm at North Sydney Oval. Kids are going to school on a Monday. I’m sorry, but who’s taking their kids to North Sydney Oval at 7.15pm on a Sunday night when you’ve got the whole of a Sunday free?”
The bizarre fixturing is compounded by a direct broadcast clash with day one of the men’s Test match against South Africa, forcing the two formats to compete for viewership.
“Let alone clashing with the test match on day one that starts at 7pm on television,” Healy continued.
“The women’s game is a real opportunity to grow the game and continue for cricket to be strong in this country.
Alyssa Healy has slammed the scheduling fixture. Paul Kane
“And we’re quite literally shutting down one half of it at the moment by doing what we’re doing with the schedules.
“It’s frustrating. Don’t do it to the world’s best team. Give them an opportunity to showcase what they can do. The women’s game is a real opportunity to grow the game.”
Veteran wicket-keeper Beth Mooney was blunt about the logistical hurdles the current schedule creates for families.
“We’re just pushing it uphill...(parents aren’t) dragging their kid out to watch a 7pm T20 on a Tuesday night or whatever it is,” Mooney said.
“That’s going to stop girls getting into the game because parents aren’t going to take them.”
