Lydia Greenway says cricketers will embrace more flexible schedules to accommodate reserve days
Regulations under scrutiny after England are knocked out by abandonment
Thursday 5 March 2020 13:07, UK
Lydia Greenway says cricket players would embrace more flexible schedules if it meant the ICC could incorporate reserve days into global tournaments.
England were knocked out of the Women's T20 World Cup after their semi-final against India in Sydney was washed out - India progressing in the absence of a reserve day on Friday by virtue of finishing top of Group A, whereas England were runners-up in Group B.
The ICC typically tries to ensure that teams don't play on the days immediately preceding and following a match day - in this case giving the winning semi-finalist the opportunity to travel for Sunday's final in Melbourne on Friday and to train on Saturday.
But former England international Lydia Greenway says she believes that players would welcome a more intense itinerary if it meant having the opportunity to get out on the park.
"If you look at the schedule between now and the final there are two days," said Greenway.
"If you ask any of the players, they would say 'we'll travel on a day and train on the same day if we can play the reserve day' - for example tomorrow [Friday] in Sydney to keep that tournament alive and give the best teams the opportunity to play in the final.
"If they were to do that then it wouldn't necessarily lengthen the tournament, it would just mean a bit more physical emphasis on the players in terms of the travel and the training.
"I don't think any player would mind if it meant they had the opportunity to get through to the final."
England captain Heather Knight urged the ICC to re-think its policy on reserve days in the wake of her team's exit and Greenway agrees that the governing body needs to review the regulations.
"It's a horrible way for England to have exited the tournament," she said. "They managed to get on a bit of a run and play some really good cricket after losing their opening game against South Africa.
"They will have very much had an eye on making that final at the MCG but unfortunately the weather here has been relentless. Storm Esther has come in and it hasn't shown any signs of letting up.
"If you haven't performed well in a semi-final you can take that, it's your own fault. But I think when you go out because of rain, that's really hard to take.
"I certainly think it will be something they'll look at moving forward. The information that I've gathered is that all of the members signed off the playing regulations before the tournament, so that would have included the fact that there aren't any reserve days for the semi-finals.
"You chat to the players and they would have been desperate to have got out or at least to have been given an opportunity to play tomorrow - but perhaps because of that lengthening the tournament that was also something that was factored in. I'm sure moving forward that might be something that is changed."
Watch the ICC Women's T20 World Cup final live on Sky Sports Cricket, Sky Sports Mix and Sky Sports Main Event from 6.30am on Sunday.
