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Four day Tests possible - ICC Chief

Langeveldt

Soutie
It's like the loonies have taken over the asylum, I've seen more cricket sense being spouted from a busty Texan cheerleader..

We all know where this is heading, free up more space for T20, then 4 days become 3, and then there are so many draws that nobody watches test cricket, freeing up even more space for T20.. T20 will be the death of the real game..
 

pup11

International Coach
This is absolute bull****, I mean this just doesn't make any sense, as SS said, what do these stupid idiots running the ICC think, that shortening test cricket would all of sudden would increase its mass appeal..!?!

I think any tinkering with the basic rules of test cricket, would be a major blow to the format, and would play the role of a catalyst in killing test cricket, I think test cricket is just fine the way it is, and really no change is required, though innovations like day-night tests are more then welcome.
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
From what I can see he hasn't talked only of reducing the number of days from five to four, he is also talking of improved over rates and more bowler friendly conditions (besides the day-night affair and the colour of the ball). If the overs can be maintained to a minimum of 450 (as in a 90 over-five day match) then this might help rather than hinder the future of Test cricket. The tough bit is getting the teams to agree to and enforce the 115 overs a day limit. Its doable but requires some toughness on the part of ICC and a lot of co-operation from the teams.

We have discused similar stuff here before havent we ? . . . Proposals to radically change Test Cricket
 

SJS

Hall of Fame Member
From what I can see he hasn't talked only of reducing the number of days from five to four, he is also talking of improved over rates and more bowler friendly conditions (besides the day-night affair and the colour of the ball). If the overs can be maintained to a minimum of 450 (as in a 90 over-five day match) then this might help rather than hinder the future of Test cricket. The tough bit is getting the teams to agree to and enforce the 115 overs a day limit. Its doable but requires some toughness on the part of ICC and a lot of co-operation from the teams.

We have discused similar stuff here before havent we ? . . . Proposals to radically change Test Cricket
And I am not sure this is just to accommodate the IPL and ODI's. There must be - at least should be - a genuine concern about the future of Test cricket and a need to get larger public interest in the longer version. Since the time the Tests take and the possibility of a drawn game at the end of five full days have always been touted as the major reasons for public apathy, an attempt needs to be made to tackle both issues at the same time.

Bowler friendly conditions (maybe a slight revision in the LBW laws), strongly enforced minimum length for boundaries, a move towards not covering the batting crease to batting crease area of the wickets after the match has started, along with what is proposed could help.

Its a long drawn process and will take time to be fully implemented but I am not sure the time to make a start isn't already with us. If any thing they are a bit slow in realising that Tests may become extinct one day unless measures are initiated now when we still have fans (as all of us commenting here) who support the traditional format.

I am with all of you to avoid making major changes in the format but we have to think that we/our types themselves are an endangered species. Once we become extinct who will speak for the threatened longer version?

In any even, except for the day/night stuff (the ball colour goes with that) the rest is more 'traditional', in a way, than what we have today.

Four days (even three days) Tests preceded five dayers and upward of 125 overs a day were bowled without problems in cricket once. The LBW law was changed and can revert to some moderated version of old and new and same applies to uncovered wickets.

If all of us, who support the traditional game, become so fanatical and reluctant to change, we will finally be overwhelmed by the power of numbers and greenbacks. The fanatics who hate the longer version are not just so very many more than we realise but they have the power of the moolaah on their side and thats what could end up being the most decisive factor.
 
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NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Four Day Test Cricket would be great if it meant say 110 overs per day.

Means everyone at the ground is getting more value for money and it could prove an even tougher Test being out in the field for the entire day.

If it was 90 x 4, imagine how many boring bore draws there would be with teams having already wrapped up the series just batting time knowing a draw would be enough. At least with 90 x 5 it's not an easy task.
 

Chemosit

First Class Debutant
on my blog I have a label that I use when our beloved administrators do something stupid:
"The ICC are a bunch of Gibbons"

funny how it is appearing with increasing regularity...
 

Tom M

School Boy/Girl Cricketer
If someone can give me a decent explanation of WHY it should change then maybe I'll consider it. I can only think that 4 day games would produce more draws: the fifth plays an important role becuase of the deterioration of the pitch: take out that day and you'll get 5 game series ending 1-0....snore.
 

Chemosit

First Class Debutant
If someone can give me a decent explanation of WHY it should change then maybe I'll consider it. I can only think that 4 day games would produce more draws: the fifth plays an important role becuase of the deterioration of the pitch: take out that day and you'll get 5 game series ending 1-0....snore.
Just taken a look at your blog - very interesting reading.
 

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
Four Day Test Cricket would be great if it meant say 110 overs per day.

Means everyone at the ground is getting more value for money and it could prove an even tougher Test being out in the field for the entire day.

If it was 90 x 4, imagine how many boring bore draws there would be with teams having already wrapped up the series just batting time knowing a draw would be enough. At least with 90 x 5 it's not an easy task.
Its pretty unrealistic to expect cricketers to bowl more than 100 overs a day. Even if IND for example where to play a sub-continent test with 3 spinners (Harbhajan/Mishra/Ojha).
 

Days of Grace

International Captain
That's because subcontinent fielding sides are so lazy and their over rates so despicalbe that to expect them to bowl 75 overs in a day with three spinners is asking too much.
 

andyc

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
**** me I'd rage so hard if this happened. Would seriously be close to giving it up.
 

NUFAN

Y no Afghanistan flag
Its pretty unrealistic to expect cricketers to bowl more than 100 overs a day. Even if IND for example where to play a sub-continent test with 3 spinners (Harbhajan/Mishra/Ojha).
You are only saying that because they don't do it now.

IF they had to they would and yeah it would be tough, but manageable.

Think making up time for rain would be a problem, I'm not saying that I would prefer 4 days by the way.
 

swede

School Boy/Girl Captain
Great idea. I hope it happens.

There will not be more draws. Four day-tests will simply force the issue of better pitches leading to better cricket.

I would like to see friday-monday tests with a late start on the monday. It would make test cricket virtually a weekend game sometimes with a close finish on monday night.
 

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