Revamp domestic one-dayers: Johan Botha

The domestic one-day tournament is losing relevance on the cricket calendar, South Australian captain Johan Botha says.

The domestic one-day tournament is losing relevance on the cricket calendar and the current format should be scrapped, South Australian captain Johan Botha says.

Botha wants the tournament to return to being scheduled around the Sheffield Shield competition.

For the past two seasons, the tournament has been wedged into a month before the shield season starts - this year's competition is in Sydney and Brisbane; last year's was exclusively in Sydney.

Botha says not only is the format wrong so is the timing, with the competition over some three and a half months before the World Cup starts in mid-February next year.

"For most players, they would rather want to play the one-dayers closer to the World Cup time so if they get called up or there are any injuries in the main Australian side," Botha said on Thursday.

"They are done with one-day cricket now already ... for certain guys, and it's not just in our state, their season is almost done now. Some guys just play one format and that is it."

Asked if the tournament was losing relevance, Botha said: "A little bit, yes.

"The ideal for me was when we played it around the shield games and played at all the grounds around Australia. That was a great format," he said.

"I prefer the all year-round and the final was at the end of the season.

"You don't just keep guys interested but everyone is up and about and trying to perform well in the shield to get into the one-day team or do well in the one-dayers to get into the shield team."

Botha said Cricket Australia should review the tournament's format.

"I think they changed it so they (players) can get used to the tournament style of World Cup cricket but next year they might have to rethink it again when the World Cup is done," said Botha, who played 78 one-day internationals for South Africa.

"I think it should go back to the normal season.

"For young guys to play a one-day game at the MCG or the WACA, that was great ... and I hope it does go back to that."

Australia and New Zealand host the next World Cup, starting February 13 next year.


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