On 5 October 2011, Cricket Australia announced that ASICS would be the kit and apparel sponsor of all Australian representative teams until the 2015 World Cup, replacing Adidas who had sponsored the team since 2006.
It is a bit of a reversal of a trend which has seen the big two, Adidas and Nike provide clothing for the so-called current cricket powers (in my opinion, they are India (Nike), Australia (Adidas until recently), England (Adidas) and South Africa (Adidas).
While ASICS is a proven brand in terms of footwear, it is very much an unknown as a clothier and certainly a poor cousin compared to Nike and Adidas.
Is this another sign that Australian cricket has really lost its pulling power?
On the field, the team is one in transition, one that no longer strikes fear into visiting and hosting teams, in fact, one that appears to lack direction or any creativity - in my opinion, the captain, Michael Clarke, epitomizes everything that has gone wrong with Australian cricket; unable to think outside the square, too safe, unimaginative.
And it appears off the field, Australian cricket has lost its marketability. The loss of such a big and wealthy sponsor in Adidas - and being unable to attract the other big gun in Nike - is a huge blow in terms of establishing the Aussies as a world brand. Australian cricket has also reverted to the much-maligned triangular series pre-2008 for its international 50-over campaign - it beggars belief when 50-over cricket is struggling for popularity with Twenty20 cricket that it is going back 5 years to a format that has proven unpopular with Australians.
While the Australians shouldn't decline as badly as that other great, the West Indies, it has definitely lost its place of invincibility to the English, South Africans and Indians. And long may it continue.
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