4 Day Test cricket and a mandatory deceleration?

[empireofdoom]

Hi all,

Long term forum lurker here,

As you can see from the thread title I'm wondering about 4 day test cricket, It seems pretty inevitable to me, given the current state of test cricket, that 4 days will become the regular schedule for test cricket in the future.

With that in mind I was wondering what everyone thought about the concept of a mandatory declaration in the first innings regardless of who wins the toss?

Basically the team batting first would get, say 120 overs, to set the first innings total and then the match would progress normally from there on with no restrictions on the amount of time per innings beyond the 4 days of course.

I wonder if this approach would generate more interest in the game? Or create a new way of playing, if a team does not fulfil their set overs for instance the game would continue as normal. I think that this would promote some of the skills of test cricket that are seemingly lacking at the moment such as solid defensive play and grinding out an innings.

I also think that this approach would lead to an exciting start to the game with teams learning to play an attacking brand of cricket for the first innings (that must be declared) in order to set up a match winning start to the game.

I acknowledge that the whole concept needs more thought, how many overs before the mandatory declaration for instance? or should both first innings be subject to a mandatory declaration? but at the same time I think it might create an interesting angle on the longer form of the game which I do not believe is in the best of health at this current time.

Let me know what you think or any changes you would suggest, or if you think it is a bad idea at least tell us/me why you think that,

I look forward to your responses,

new guy Empireofdoom

 

[Pratters]

Welcome.

I would detest it if 4 day tests or mandatory declarations occur. Given the intensity of tests, it would just reduce the quality if we have 120 instead of 90 each day. I much prefer having a few more day night tests when we can. The crowds in the first day night test were great. That's the way to go.

 

[fredfertang]

They tried this sort of thing in the County Championship - in the 60s they had some matches where the first innings was limited to 65 overs - total failure

Later on they tried 100, which was better, but it still undermined the whole point of First Class cricket and didn't last all that long

I can't see the point in tinkering with Test cricket in this way. It won't attract any new supporters, but will alienate plenty of the existing ones

 

[empireofdoom]

Hello,

Don't mistake this for changing the number of overs per day, I would still suggest 90 per day, just that a declaration after 120 overs (or some other number) might set up the shorter matches for a result from the beginning,

 

[empireofdoom]

They tried this sort of thing in the County Championship - in the 60s they had some matches where the first innings was limited to 65 overs - total failure

Later on they tried 100, which was better, but it still undermined the whole point of First Class cricket and didn't last all that long

I can't see the point in tinkering with Test cricket in this way. It won't attract any new supporters, but will alienate plenty of the existing ones

Thanks for this, I didn't know it had been tried already, did it have a significant effect upon the instances of positive results rather than draws? another question (or two depending on your view), did it make the result of the toss more important? teams wanted to bat second more often or bat first more often?

 

[Lillian Thomson]

Thanks for this, I didn't know it had been tried already, did it have a significant effect upon the instances of positive results rather than draws? another question (or two depending on your view), did it make the result of the toss more important? teams wanted to bat second more often or bat first more often?

The 100 overs first innings did nothing for three day County Cricket. You got two days of competitive cricket followed by a contrived result on the last day more often than not. If the match was heading for a draw they'd get together and agree a 4th innings target.

 

[Red]

I can't see the point in tinkering with Test cricket in this way. It won't attract any new supporters, but will alienate plenty of the existing ones

Well said. If the match length must be shortened, so be it, but mandatory declarations are a no go.