da dobrowin： Australia’s domestic cricket program has been given a shake-up, with thePura Cup to be played over 10 distinct rounds and a rest day betweenthose games and interstate one-day matches.
AAP23-Apr-2003Australia’s domestic cricket program has been given a shake-up, with thePura Cup to be played over 10 distinct rounds and a rest day betweenthose games and interstate one-day matches.The Australian Cricket Board has released the schedule for the 2003-04domestic competitions, with the Pura Cup to start on November 2.In a new-look schedule, travelling teams will play the vast majority ofPura Cup matches and ING Cup games on the one interstate journey.But teams will have a day’s break scheduled between the end of eachfour-day match and one-day games, instead of playing ING Cup gamesstraight after Pura Cup matches as happened last year.Pura Cup games will also be played over 10 separate rounds ofcompetition rather than the scattergun approach of previous years.Australian Cricket Board chief executive James Sutherland said thechanges would address some of the criticisms of cricketers and fans.”It’s certainly something we’ve tried to address so a round of matchesis played altogether at the one time so at the end of any one weekend,you can look at the Pura Cup ladder and see where everyone’s placed,”Sutherland said.”It’s very difficult to balance interstate cricket with internationalcricket.”It’s not always possible to get an even spread but we seem to have doneit this year so hopefully it will work well.”Victorian captain Darren Berry, a long-time critic of having one-daymatches the day after Pura Cup games, gave the changes the thumbs-up.”It’s definitely beneficial to players,” Berry said.”I found as an older player it was difficult to back up on day fiveafter an intensive Pura Cup match.”And sides change a little bit.”Quite often three or four players come in for the one-day games so theday’s break gives you a chance to have a team meeting and re-assesswhere you’re going for the one-day game.”If you look at the records, a lot of teams have won the Pura Cup game,then come out and performed poorly in the one-day game and vice versa.”We certainly felt a break in between would be beneficial.”Pura Milk has also extended its sponsorship of the Sheffield Shieldcompetition for another two seasons in a seven-figure deal.