Former Australian Test bowler Terry Alderman on Tuesday urged cricket authorities to consider a new approach to help developing cricket nations lift their standard.
Alderman, who captured 170 Test wickets, called on the International Cricket Council to allow former star players in stronger countries who were no longer needed by their own teams to play in sides such as Zimbabwe and Bangladesh.
His proposal came on the eve of the arrival in Perth of the Zimbabwe side to prepare for two Tests against the world champion Australian side.
Alderman said he believed a player such as Australia’s veteran batsman Mark Waugh, whose international career for Australia appeared to be over, could provide a developing Test nation with valuable experience.
”I really like the idea of drafting players in this way,” he said.
”Mark Waugh is sitting in the wings and he still has another two years of international cricket left in his body, and he could have been drafted into a team such as Zimbabwe or Bangladesh.
”I can’t see anything wrong with helping the fledgling nations.
”I would like the authorities do something like that. No frontline Australian player is going to put his name in the hat to go and play for Bangladesh.
”But someone coming towards the end of a career or some of our one-day players who are on the periphery who want to play at the highest level could have a Test career playing in another country.”
The International Cricket Council could fund such a plan to ensure competitiveness throughout the Test-playing nations, Alderman said.
”Weaker nations would probably need two or three players to be drafted into their teams.
”Instead of having just foreign coaches, you actually need players for the on-field experience,” he said. — Sapa-AFP