England coach Trevor Bayliss says Twenty20 internationals should be scrapped

Wednesday, 21 February 2018 00:00 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

BBC: International teams should not play Twenty20 cricket, according to England coach Trevor Bayliss.

England beat New Zealand by two runs in Hamilton in their 100th T20, but failed to qualify for the tri-series final against Australia.

“I wouldn’t play T20 internationals,” Bayliss told Sky Sports.

“If you want to play a World Cup every four years, maybe six months before let international teams play T20. I would just let the franchises play.”

Lucrative domestic T20 competitions featuring franchises made up of international players have become increasingly dominant in recent years.

The 11th season of the Indian Premier League, for which the TV rights deal is worth £ 1,97 billion, starts in April, while more than a million spectators watched this season’s Australia’s Big Bash League.

The first franchised T20 event in England - in addition to the existing T20 Blast - will start in 2020.

There are also domestic franchised T20 competitions in the West Indies, South Africa, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

England won the World Twenty20 in 2010, which remains their only global title.

Australian Bayliss, who coaches England’s Test, one-day and T20 sides, predicted international teams will employ a specialist T20 coach to help cope with the busy schedule.

“It’s definitely the way it’s heading,” said the 55-year-old, who was appointed in 2015 and will leave his role after the 2019 home Ashes series.

England began their Ashes tour of Australia in October 2017 and will not return until April, after playing five one-day internationals and two Tests in New Zealand.

Bayliss added: “If we continue putting so many games, there will be a certain amount of blow-out not just with players, but with coaches as well.”

England employed separate coaches from 2012 to 2014, with Andy Flower in charge of the Test team and Ashley Giles the ODI and T20 sides.

England begin the one-day series against New Zealand on 25 February in Hamilton.

Bayliss said the game may be “a bit early” for all-rounder Ben Stokes, who has not played for England since September, to make his comeback.

The 26-year-old joined the squad this week after being charged with affray following an incident outside a Bristol nightclub.

“He’s only been back with us for a couple of days,” said Bayliss. “It’s going to take him a while to get up to speed.”

 

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