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BY DAN

The government is considering using Australia’s cricketing collapses as an official measurement of time, such is their regularity in the summer months.

Currently time is measured by the National Measurement Institute against Greenwich Mean Time. However, Greenwich Mean Time requires the insertion of a ‘leap second’ in order to keep it in time with the Earth’s orbit of the Sun. This has occurred 26 times since its introduction in 1972.

But according to a spokesman for the Institute, the Australian Cricketing team’s collapses “occur with such a unique regularity, we may be able to do away with the leap second altogether”.

“It could be a real boon for timekeeping. It’s just so much more regular.”

If “Australian Collapse Time” is successful in summer, it could be rolled out over the winter months too, especially when Australia tours India or England.

Australia next collapses to South Africa on Thursday this week.