In another blow to the ODI cricket in the form that it is known now, the Cricket Australia has announced that the domestic fifty overs version may be scrapped and in its place would be a 40-over competition.

According to the Cricket Australia, the 40-over tournament will have games which will be divided into two innings of 20-overs each and completed in one day.

Earlier, South Africa and England had also reduced their domestic one-day competitions to forty overs a side.

The proposed format will probably be played over the next new year, which also raises questions about the preparations of the Australian players for the World Cup. The cricket World Cup is scheduled for February 2011 and will be a fifty-overs competition.

The chief of the Australian Cricketers’ Association, Darren Lehmann has said that while they were interested in improving the way the game would be played, he would need to talk through with the CA officials on the proposed changes. Especially, given that they will be made very close to the World Cup.

Cricket Australia said, “Our view is that you can change the domestic format without affecting preparations for the World Cup.”

Australia plays England in a five match ODI series that starts from the 22nd of June. Despite the recent English triumph, the Aussies go into this series as 8/15 favourites (William Hill) to clinch it. Stan James offers 6/4 for England to surprise the Aussies, given that the last ODI series between the two teams had gone in Australia’s favour by a 6-1 margin.