Just surviving from day to day is an accomplishment in the current climate. "There's no doubt that completing cricket tours unhindered during the pandemic is a precarious business.
That was followed in quick succession by New Zealand's last-minute withdrawal from a T20 series with Pakistan, which prompted England to cancel their proposed men's and women's tour of that country. The 78-year-old batting great feels the treatment meted out to Pakistan by New Zealand and England was "harsh". "As we've seen over the years, and particularly in more recent times, the likelihood of this happening is about the same as that of Donald Trump displaying humility." However, that would require the cricket countries to come together in good faith with a view to making decisions in the best interests of the game," Chappell said. From cricket's point of view, the only good that could come from the pandemic is a thorough re-evaluation of the schedule. "Nevertheless that is what is needed - some sympathy, in the light of the constant Covid disruptions to the international calendar. Sympathising with Pakistan after New Zealand abandoned their tour and England too cancelling their trip, the former Australia skipper said the cricket community needs to come together to get the game out of the "mess". Cricket has only itself to blame for the bloated, unworkable schedule that the Covid pandemic has blown up like a left-over land mine," Chappell wrote in his column for ESPNcricinfo. In the comedians' case it was heavyweight Hardy accusing his bumbling partner Laurel of yet another blunder.
"Hollywood comedians Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy's signature line, 'Well, here's another fine mess you've got me into', could easily apply to cricket's current scheduling predicament.