If Test cricket died

[Jakester1288]

Would you still watch cricket?

Personally, I would watch the occasional game of One Day cricket, but then I would probably end up getting desperate and start watch lots more OD.

 

[GIMH]

Voted yes, but wouldn't take time off work to do so etc

 

[Pizzorno]

I probably wouldn't to be honest. I'd still follow Lancashire keenly, but i've just never had the same passion for ODIs and T20Is that I do for Test matches.

 

[Neil Pickup]

It won't die. Even if it just remains England and Australia. Simple as.

 

[Richard]

A prospect I've never given the remotest of consideration to, so don't honestly have a clue what the answer might be.

TBH though, the idea that Test cricket will "die" isn't a very likely one. The worry is that the money being overwhelmingly in Twenty20 will see players prioritise their Twenty20 skills and thus the standard of Test cricket will drop enormously.

 

[Jakester1288]

Say it does. Test cricket is wiped off the calendars completely.

There is no "it will never die" answers.

 

[Jamee999]

No. The only T20 or ODI cricket I watch are the World Cups really, but I probably wouldn't bother with those with no Tests.

 

[Prince EWS]

Would we still have First Class cricket?

 

[Jarquis]

Short answer : Yes
Long anser : Yes because I love cricket.

 

[Richard]

Would we still have First Class cricket?

First thought would be "what's the point in First-Class cricket without Tests?" but the truth is First-Class cricket - and the idea of it - predates Tests by a good few years. And there was a time - the late-19th-century - when First-Class cricket had a prominence that the sparse and haphazard Tests did not. Even into the 1930s and 1950s, it was still not the case that Test cricket was the only thing of real importance and First-Class cricket merely a feeder, not in England and Australia anyway.

 

[Pigeon]

Yes.

 

[jondavluc]

maybe but it will take awhile to accept it.

 

[Prince EWS]

First thought would be "what's the point in First-Class cricket without Tests?" but the truth is First-Class cricket - and the idea of it - predates Tests by a good few years. And there was a time - the late-19th-century - when First-Class cricket had a prominence that the sparse and haphazard Tests did not. Even into the 1930s and 1950s, it was still not the case that Test cricket was the only thing of real importance and First-Class cricket merely a feeder, not in England and Australia anyway.

Well I for one would go to every NSW home Shield game I could get to if Tests were scrapped but the Shield remained. If anything the crowds would increase a little IMO, although the Shield basically been carried financially for ages so it'd probably be given the axe as well.

Anyway, I was actually asking the question practically as such - I was asking Jakester what his theoretical situation actually entailed as it'd change my answer.

If there was no Test or First Class cricket, I'm sure I'd still watch ODIs and the odd Twenty20 game as I do now, but I doubt I'd follow it with the enthusiasm that I do now. Wouldn't go to games, read cricinfo and Cricket Web religiously, make 20 posts a day on this forum etc etc but I'd more than likely still watch the games.

 

[GIMH]

I reckon I'd watch more LO stuff if it was all that was available

 

[BoyBrumby]

Yeah, I would. Generally at least keep an eye on whatever live cricket Sky shows and at least 95% of the domestic games they carry are limited overs.

Agree with Mr P tho, there'll always be a market for it here & in the antipodes. Rugby league is basically the model there; only 3 serious test nations and they're England (or GB), the Kangaroos and the Kiwis.

 

[Richard]

Well I for one would go to every NSW home Shield game I could get to if Tests were scrapped but the Shield remained. If anything the crowds would increase a little IMO, although the Shield basically been carried financially for ages so it'd probably be given the axe as well.

Yeah, that's the thing - there'd be unlikely to be enough of an audience created by the loss of Test cricket for domestic F-C stuff, but it might possibly be interesting to see whether there would be. Not that I'd want to, because I don't want to see either a) Test cricket scrapped or b) cricket's financial limits tested.

If I and enough others who like me place the longer game at the pinnacle were able to sustain the domestic F-C game should Test cricket somehow cease to be played, I'd certainly still have far more interest in it than any ODI - should such things continue to be played. Though with Tests also in existence I'll enjoy a ODI more than a domestic match.

 

[stumpski]

Already watch far more county cricket than Tests, so yes, obviously. Although the question of whether the domestic game could survive without the huge subsidies given by the ECB is another matter.

But while Tests in England, in London at least, continue to sell out 9 months in advance I doubt if there's any need to worry.

 

[Richard]

Already watch far more county cricket than Tests, so yes, obviously. Although the question of whether the domestic game could survive without the huge subsidies given by the ECB is another matter.

It couldn't, not a hope - unless the exodus of Test fans resulted in more money directed at the domestic game instead.

If Sky Sports subscribers were willing to pay enough for domestic coverage in the place of Test coverage that the ECB could negotiate a new deal which kept the domestic game solvent.

Fortunately it's a question which is exceedingly unlikely to require an answer.

 

[Langeveldt]

I'd watch any form of cricket that isn't T20.. I'd rather watch a village 50 over game than a T20 slog between the supposed "superstars" of cricket.. I'd probably have a guilty peek at what was going on in the T20 world, but I'd be moaning even more about it than I do at the moment.. A dire pursuit, up there with bar billiards and synchronised swimming when it comes to serious sport for mine..

 

[Jakester1288]

Would we still have First Class cricket?

Yes. However, the question is about international cricket.