International cricket: A 'terribly underwhelming summer'

Opinion - It's heartening to hear that Kane Williamson should be fit to play in the Indian Premier League.

Williamson, New Zealand's captain and only world-class player, continues to be inconvenienced by an elbow injury, which has kept him out of the Black Caps' side since November.

It is reported to be a tendon problem that requires careful management. Test cricket, which New Zealand is set to play against South Africa, places too great a load on the injury.

Look, I hate to be critical of a national hero and all-time New Zealand great, but far out. We all get that the IPL pays players' way now and that international cricket can be a chore, but we're talking about the skipper here.

I don't doubt that Williamson suffers discomfort while batting, because this injury has persisted for some time. But when the skipper sits out proper cricket, so he can be available for some Mickey Mouse games against the Netherlands and then the IPL, then people are entitled to feel a bit brassed off.

The term 'player power' makes my eyes glaze over. But it's true that cricketers are no longer beholden to their national bodies and will prioritise some commitments over others.

Williamson has a multi-million dollar deal with Sunrisers Hyderabad, in the IPL, and, rightly or wrongly, that probably has to come first.

Who among us would put that money at risk by playing a two-test series against South Africa? Probably not too many.

I can definitely understand it, but I can't pretend I like or admire it.

More broadly, I remain bitterly disappointed by New Zealand Cricket (NZC).

The Black Caps have made the last two Cricket World Cup finals, were beaten finalists in the recent T20 World Cup and are holders of the World Test Championship title.

The iron doesn't get any hotter than that and yet NZC's idea of striking is to host some white-ball cricket against the Netherlands? Give me strength.

Yes, I know we had some home-and-away white-ball stuff teed up against Australia and, yes, it's unfortunate that those games won't now be played. But the fact remains this is a terribly underwhelming summer of international cricket.

I also appreciate that the Women's Cricket World Cup is about to be staged here and that it is important to afford that tournament the appropriate amount of limelight.

I've no quarrel with the women's game and will happily admit to watching most of the final day of the recent Ashes test between Australia and England, at Manuka Oval in Canberra. There was some fine cricket played, culminating in a genuinely thrilling draw.

But, with the best will in the world, the women's world cup will not generate the same interest as a three or four-test series between the Black Caps and England or Australia would.

South Africa are a decent side, as they proved in beating India at home recently. In fact, in the absence of Williamson, they ought to be favourites when the first of the two tests at Hagley Park starts on 17 February.

Paternity leave means Trent Boult will miss the first of those tests and, when you throw in the retirement of Ross Taylor, this New Zealand team look pretty mediocre.

Worse, the players are all coming into this off of months of meaningless white-ball cricket.

I vividly remember the first game of cricket I went to. It was Wellington against the West Indies, at the Hutt Recreation Ground in 1980, and I've been devoted to the game ever since.

For much of that time, success for the national team was only fleeting. Yes, we saw some world-class players such as Richard Hadlee, Martin Crowe and Shane Bond emerge, but collectively there were long periods of struggle.

We have never had it so good and yet little or nothing is being done by our administrators to capitalise on that.

Games are hidden away on a niche broadcaster - as I've mentioned before - the international programme is a non-event, domestic cricket is largely of the hit-and-giggle variety and now the skipper is saving himself for franchise commitments.

As a nation, we are desperate to support our own. Just look at events such as the America's Cup or Olympics.

Nine days out of 10, no-one would cross the road to watch sailing or kayaking or snowboarding. But add a silver fern, and a hefty helping of nationalism, and people absolutely lap it up.

Is there something NZC haven't grasped about this? Are they unaware that it's watching high-profile international clashes that gets our collective pulse racing? Are they honestly trying to sell us the Blaze against the Magicians or the Stags versus the Aces instead?

NZC have a good product, and a compelling Black Caps team, and they're doing nothing to sell it.

As for these tests against the Proteas, why would anyone bother to watch them? If you have a hankering to see Williamson bat, for instance, you'll have to wait until the Sunrisers' season starts instead.

A day might come when All Blacks' or Black Caps' commitments come a distant second. A day when our players are involved in global franchise competitions and only convene for world cups.

But that day isn't here yet and Black Caps fans deserve better than what NZC are dishing up.