Character versus Concrete

In 1964 Bob Dylan released “The Times They Are a-Changin’ ”, little did he know that his tune could have become the anthem of modern day cricket.

We live in an era where fast is the new slow. And rapid just about cuts it. Immediate gratification is not just a desire anymore it is a necessity.

In this changing world, cricket has certainly not been unaffected by the constantly altering lifestyle led by many people.

Technology has been thrown into the game and is just one of the ways the sport is moving with the times.

Twenty20 cricket is becoming a staple part of the fan's diet and even the playing conditions are being tweaked regularly in order to keep up with changing demands.

The renovations being undertaken at the Adelaide Oval are a prime example of the what many fans are demanding in today’s world.

One of the most enduring and picturesque grounds in world cricket is undergoing a metamorphosis into a multi-purpose stadium with a capacity of over 50 000 spectators.

The ground’s administrators have thankfully retained the tree-shaded grass bank at the northern end along with the manual scoreboard that has survived from the times of Sir Donald Bradman.

That foresight has at least allowed the ground to retain a link to its historic past.

As with all modern day redevelopments the focus has been on crowd convenience and state of the art technology.

Another major change will be the introduction of Australian Football. In 2014 the stadium will become home to South Australia’s two teams in the national AFL competition.

With the introduction of Australia’s primary football code there will be an ever-changing result. The Adelaide Oval cricket pitches, regarded as some of the finest in the sport worldwide will be ripped up and replaced during the summer with drop-in pitches.

Given the impact that drop-in pitches have had at other grounds in Australia it is near certain that the playing conditions from now on at the Adelaide Oval will change dramatically.

But what of the character of the ground itself?

It has been said on many occasions that the Adelaide Oval is one of the most picturesque grounds in the cricketing world with some believing it even surpasses the likes of Newlands which sits beneath the backdrop of the iconic Table Mountain in Cape Town, and the newly built ground in Pallekele in the Sri Lankan Highlands.

Once the construction at the ground is complete the adjacent St Peter’s Cathedral and the Adelaide skyline will be blocked from the view.

Is this a case of character being replaced with concrete?

The second Test between Australia and South Africa turned out to be one the most exciting draws in the game with Faf du Plessis assuming the unlikely role of hero.

He came up against the likes of Peter Siddle, a bowler who possesses one of the biggest hearts in the game. The duel was a classic one but ironically took place surrounded by progress and as a result a greater reduced crowd capacity.

The contrast that was the setting of the Test cannot be isolated to the Adelaide Oval alone.

The game is being forced to change but with what consequences?

There seems to be a consensus that Test cricket is still the ultimate form of the game and yet the format is being forced to take a back seat to its shorter counterparts.

South Africa are due to tour Sri Lanka in 2013. The original schedule called for three Tests along with T20’s and ODI’s. However, the Sri Lankan board has asked for the Test component to be delayed until 2015.

The reasons for this? Well one of them is because of the country’s own version of the Indian Premier League - the SLPL.

Hence, a Test series is being postponed because of a domestic league. Twenty years ago this would have been unheard of.

With the introduction of leagues like the IPL, larger stadiums, and technology is the sport losing its character?

The administrators unfortunately find themselves in a Catch-22 position. While Test cricket is still seen as the jewel in the crown and the preeminent form of the game, in many parts of the world it has become financially underpinned by the shorter forms of cricket.

As a result many grounds are being redeveloped in order to cash in on the growing popularity of Twenty20 cricket in particular.

Sadly one of the by-products is the fact that many of these redeveloped or indeed new venues will look sparsely populated when they host Test matches.

Like all global sports administrators are forced to move with the times. Unfortunately when it comes to 21st century elite sport the bottom line is just that.

Sadly the unholy dollar has affected the texture of the sport, however cricket and it’s fans need to remember that they are no orphan when it comes to this modern day trend.