ABSTRACT
In international cricket it has long been the case that the pinnacle of a player's career is representing his country in Test matches against other national sides. However, there are signs that this perception is changing and it is quite possible that in the near future (if not already) players will put their Twenty20 careers ahead of their Test careers, and in so doing undermine the status of cricket's hitherto most prestigious contests. Recently, West Indies captain Chris Gayle declared that he wouldn't be unhappy if Test cricket was replaced by Twenty20, a statement that caused widespread consternation throughout the Test-playing world. In the past few years cricket has witnessed the emergence the ‘freelance player’, leading Test match players such as Shane Bond of New Zealand, and Adam Gilchrist, Shaun Tait, and Brett Lee of Australia who have retired early from Tests in order to ward off injury and prolong their earnings potential in the IPL (Indian Premier League). Also, ‘portfolio’ cricketers have emerged, for example West Indian Kieron Pollard who has Twenty20 contracts in Australia, England, the IPL, and Trinidad. The financial rewards from playing in the IPL and other Twenty20 tournaments are such that a growing number of players believe that they no longer need to pursue a conventional career path: Twenty20 now represents an alternative career structure. The paper will consider the implications of this player-driven development for the future of other forms of the game.
