Split innings match format goes on trial in Australia

Cricket Australia put its revolutionary split innings one-day concept on trial yesterday in an experimental match ahead of a board meeting where it will decide whether or not to adopt the revolutionary format this domestic season.

Tasmania beat South Australia by six wickets in a match at Darwin in which each team was allocated two 20-over innings on an alternating basis.

Cricket Australia seeks to reignite interest in the traditional limited-overs game - which gives each team 50 overs to bat and 50 overs to field - amid the Twenty20 boom. Under the format, bowlers can still bowl up to a maximum ten overs, meaning teams can include four specialist bowlers and not rely on part-timers to make up the other one-fifth of the allocated overs.