A recent Sydney Morning Herald article spelt out the Australian cricketers recent demands since October 2008 which has almost been non-stop.
The article points out they will have played by the end of the New Zealand series 23 Tests, 49 one-day internationals and 12 Twenty20s - the equivalent of 176 days cricket - in the last 17 months, or a game every third day.
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/australian-team-being-worked-to-the-bone-20100213-nyfx.html
Respite has become a major theme in professional sport and in 2007 Well-Being Australia, which provides two respite facilities for Australian Institute of Sport athletes and coaches and their families (Basil Sellers Moruya and Basil Sellers Tweed) extended these facilities to the cricket fraternity.
Greg Chappell the Head Coach of the Australian Institute of Sport Cricket Unit at the Cricket Centre of Excellence in Brisbane has already stated that respite is so important, that he sends his lads home half way through their AIS stint so as to reconnect with family and friends.
In a video interview with the Australian Missionary News IPTV Greg Chappell said that the lads return with renewed vigour and much refreshed.
http://tv.bushorchestra.com/videopages/Greg_Chappell.html
Two months off will certainly allow the cricketers to freshen up says M V Tronson but for the married fellows with young families two months is hardly time to re introduce yourself into the home situation.
"In the early years of the cricket ministry in the mid eighties when our children were tiny tots and I was away either with the cricketers, on mission or away preaching on the international circuit, my wife Delma had her own routine well established." M V Tronson explained.
The article above cites a comparison with the New Zealand cricketers. In the same period they will have played 14 Tests, 31 ODIs and 15 T20s, for 116 days of cricket, which is a game every four or five days.
The question being asked by every cricket official, the cricketers association, commentators and the cricketers themselves is when is enough, is enough. Part of the problem is that the younger cricketers are 'desperate cricketers' wanting to play all the time as their perspective hasn't quite kicked in yet.
