Hopes wants every ODI to count for something

Former Australia all-rounder James Hopes has urged the International Cricket Council (ICC) to make ODI series count towards World Cup qualifications instead of having teams battle each other for absolutely nothing.

ODI cricket has started to lose its appeal amongst a growing number of people in the cricketing community and Hopes believes that by having ODI series count towards something, more people will come and cheer on their side, knowing that every match affects their country’s qualification for the World Cup.

Hopes pointed out that Australia’s ongoing ODI series against the West Indies does not count for anything and this is a key reason why the crowds have started dwindling over the past number of years.

Talking about the introduction of two new balls in ODIs, Hopes stated that the art of being able to swing the old ball will be lost forever and that the new rule would also take a toll on spinners, whereby there could be less of them in the future since their role will become redundant.