TRISTAN LAVALETTE

Having covered a fair amount of the Big Bash League (BBL) over the years, I’ve always been struck by its fragility despite the undoubted fanfare behind it. Its swift rise has been one of the most remarkable success stories in Australian sport, but the BBL’s overwhelming popularity felt like a fad.
With Cricket Australia and broadcasters straining its money spinner, the overstretched and watered down BBL is now on the nose. It was particularly jarring seeing the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) almost barren for a pivotal late-season match.
A crowd of just over...