Mankadders founder Michael Hargreaves (right) is one of the many cricket lovers who believe the sport is at risk from consistently high temperatures. Photo: Supplied.
Could we see future Aussie summers without cricket?
According to new findings by environmental group FrontRunners, there’s a real possibility global warming could bring about the demise of the sport.
The new report, Hit for Six: The Danger Zone, states that players, both professional and amateur, are suffering worsening strain due to higher temperatures. The report found that cricket-playing countries are recording an increasing number of summer days hotter than 37 degrees Celsius – the temperature at which play is considered hazardous by many governing bodies, including Cricket Australia.
Once reached, measures including providing access to hydration and cooling are set in place. If clubs are unable to meet these standards, umpires have the ability to call off the match.
2024 data found that India had 52 days above the 37-degree mark, six days more than the five-year average of 46. Pakistan recorded 83 average days above the 37-degree mark in the same period, while Australia recorded 46 days a year.
The new report has called for Cricket Australia and the England and Wales Cricket Board to review their current heat policy guidelines.
Riverina cricket tragic and founder of the Murrumbidgee Mankadders Cricket Club, Michael Hargreaves, said cricket would be the number one sport affected by climate change and high temperatures were already causing participation numbers to dwindle in the Riverina.
“We’re a very hot country, and we do have summers where cricket is not going to be able to be played,” he said.
“Climate change is going to affect a lot of things, including cricket, and it’s going to be a very sad day when it can’t be played because it’s too hot.
“Even at the moment, as junior numbers go down and senior clubs fold year-in and year out, it’s already too hot for people to play cricket.”
Mr Hargraves said that in an age of technology and with current house prices, people had to work longer hours, which meant they were unwilling to sacrifice spare time for cricket in the boiling heat.
“Unfortunately, there is no other time cricket can really be played either,” he said.
“Outside of maybe golf, cricket is the most sensitive sport when it comes to conditions. It can’t be too wet or too cold, or it becomes unsafe in the other direction.
“In our league (The Gundagai District Cricket Association), we essentially play October to December and have a break through, basically all of January. We come back towards the end of February, beginning of March.
“We can’t run the season earlier or later either because we’ve got local footy clubs doing pre-seasons in February and end-of-season trips in October. Footy season has crept into the cricket season.
“It cost us the finals last year; we were playing in March, and we had several important players who had football commitments, so they couldn’t play.
“Cricket’s the sport that’s going to be impacted by climate change the most, and there’s clearly going to have to be something done to protect it.”
