'Test cricket won't be around in time' - Brendon McCullum

[S.Kennedy]

I've seen probably thirty (guessing?) twenty20 Blast matches and a fair amount of the televised world t20 over the years and I honestly cannot remember a single thing about any of them, except Stokes being clobbered by Brathwaite. They go in one ear and go out the other.

I cannot even remember any of that world t20 that Colly captained which England won. I just remember the fact Michael Lumb and Kieswetter were in the team, and that the Aussies played them in the final.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I've seen probably thirty (guessing?) twenty20 Blast matches and a fair amount of the televised world t20 over the years and I honestly cannot remember a single thing about any of them, except Stokes being clobbered by Brathwaite. They go in one ear and go out the other.

I cannot even remember any of that world t20 that Colly captained which England won. I just remember the fact Michael Lumb and Kieswetter were in the team, and that the Aussies played them in the final.

Did they? I don't even remember that. All I remember from the World T20s is when George Bailey was made captain on debut. That was weird. Don't think I can remember a single thing that actually happened in a game.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

To me a 5 day Test is like watching a novel unfold live in front of you. There are 22 characters, some more important than others, and if you include the umpires there are 24. There is narration by means of the commentators and media teams. Each session is a new chapter, each innings and new section, and if all done well it's 4 days of slow boil leading to an exciting conclusion.

An entire Test series then becomes like a series of books - re occuring characters and plotlines that connect the three Tests, some new faces show up and old ones leave, the conditions and challenges faced change with each book.

A T20 is just another action flick. It can be flashy, have the best cast, and incredible depth in storytelling - but it's over in 3 hours. You don't put it down at the end of the day and hop on a forum to discuss how far you and the other readers have come along. You don't sleep on it, looking to wake up next morning and resume. You don't take time to review what you just read and let is all sink in.

Tests are a special thing.

Test matches are like a 5-course feast where you savour every bite and digest slowly.

ODIs are a decent roast dinner, while T20s are a McDonald's combo - artificial and leaving you unsatisfied.

Apologies to any vegetarians or anyone doing Ramadan.

 

[sledger]

To me a 5 day Test is like watching a novel unfold live in front of you. There are 22 characters, some more important than others, and if you include the umpires there are 24. There is narration by means of the commentators and media teams. Each session is a new chapter, each innings and new section, and if all done well it's 4 days of slow boil leading to an exciting conclusion.

An entire Test series then becomes like a series of books - re occuring characters and plotlines that connect the three Tests, some new faces show up and old ones leave, the conditions and challenges faced change with each book.

A T20 is just another action flick. It can be flashy, have the best cast, and incredible depth in storytelling - but it's over in 3 hours. You don't put it down at the end of the day and hop on a forum to discuss how far you and the other readers have come along. You don't sleep on it, looking to wake up next morning and resume. You don't take time to review what you just read and let is all sink in.

Tests are a special thing.

Wow, didn't realise you made good posts.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Did they? I don't even remember that. All I remember from the World T20s is when George Bailey was made captain on debut. That was weird. Don't think I can remember a single thing that actually happened in a game.

I think the Husseys were playing. I have the dvd - one of the few cricketing dvds released in the UK. I've only watched it once.

 

[Kirkut]

To me a 5 day Test is like watching a novel unfold live in front of you. There are 22 characters, some more important than others, and if you include the umpires there are 24. There is narration by means of the commentators and media teams. Each session is a new chapter, each innings and new section, and if all done well it's 4 days of slow boil leading to an exciting conclusion.

An entire Test series then becomes like a series of books - re occuring characters and plotlines that connect the three Tests, some new faces show up and old ones leave, the conditions and challenges faced change with each book.

A T20 is just another action flick. It can be flashy, have the best cast, and incredible depth in storytelling - but it's over in 3 hours. You don't put it down at the end of the day and hop on a forum to discuss how far you and the other readers have come along. You don't sleep on it, looking to wake up next morning and resume. You don't take time to review what you just read and let is all sink in.

Tests are a special thing.

Yes, but you do need time to enjoy all that. There is a reason why processed foods are in good business, people don't have time to cook.

 

[TheJediBrah]

To me a 5 day Test is like watching a novel unfold live in front of you. There are 22 characters, some more important than others, and if you include the umpires there are 24. There is narration by means of the commentators and media teams. Each session is a new chapter, each innings and new section, and if all done well it's 4 days of slow boil leading to an exciting conclusion.

An entire Test series then becomes like a series of books - re occuring characters and plotlines that connect the three Tests, some new faces show up and old ones leave, the conditions and challenges faced change with each book.

A T20 is just another action flick. It can be flashy, have the best cast, and incredible depth in storytelling - but it's over in 3 hours. You don't put it down at the end of the day and hop on a forum to discuss how far you and the other readers have come along. You don't sleep on it, looking to wake up next morning and resume. You don't take time to review what you just read and let is all sink in.

Tests are a special thing.

That was beautiful

 

[SillyCowCorner1]

Hipster cricket

 

[Mr Miyagi]

To me a 5 day Test is like watching a novel unfold live in front of you. There are 22 characters, some more important than others, and if you include the umpires there are 24. There is narration by means of the commentators and media teams. Each session is a new chapter, each innings and new section, and if all done well it's 4 days of slow boil leading to an exciting conclusion.

An entire Test series then becomes like a series of books - re occuring characters and plotlines that connect the three Tests, some new faces show up and old ones leave, the conditions and challenges faced change with each book.

A T20 is just another action flick. It can be flashy, have the best cast, and incredible depth in storytelling - but it's over in 3 hours. You don't put it down at the end of the day and hop on a forum to discuss how far you and the other readers have come along. You don't sleep on it, looking to wake up next morning and resume. You don't take time to review what you just read and let is all sink in.

Tests are a special thing.

So you still prefer the Marvel Avengers and X Men comic books to the films?

 

[DriveClub]

Financially-challenged CWI asks SLC help to host home series - ESPNcricinfo

Yeah I'd say the end is near. Only the rich countries can afford to play test cricket, test cricket is for the rich and the elites. The poor will have to make way with fast food.

 

[cnerd123]

So you still prefer the Marvel Avengers and X Men comic books to the films?

I don't read comics I'm not 12

 

[srbhkshk]

Financially-challenged CWI asks SLC help to host home series - ESPNcricinfo

Yeah I'd say the end is near. Only the rich countries can afford to play test cricket, test cricket is for the rich and the elites. The poor will have to make way with fast food.

This was always going to happen, wi have like 20 people turning up for tests these days. Absolutely pathetic scenes all around.

Honestly when tests are praised, people are really talking about the tests where 5-6 wickets fall in each session and 1-2 batsman play a heroic knock in great bowling conditions. That's really a small subset of all tests, there's nothing exciting or watchable about one team plodding along at 2.5 rpo without losing any wickets. The Ashes this year for instance was just poor to watch for a neutral.

 

[OverratedSanity]

Honestly when tests are praised, people are really talking about the tests where 5-6 wickets fall in each session and 1-2 batsman play a heroic knock in great bowling conditions. That's really a small subset of all tests, there's nothing exciting or watchable about one team plodding along at 2.5 rpo without losing any wickets. The Ashes this year for instance was just poor to watch for a neutral.

I'd say the opposite... The boring Ashes were an exception when it comes to test series I've watched over the last few years, I've thoroughly enjoyed most of them.

 

[srbhkshk]

I'd say the opposite... The boring Ashes were an exception when it comes to test series I've watched over the last few years, I've thoroughly enjoyed most of them.

Yes the test series in past times have been good, still Eng - India in India, Ashes , Ind - Aus in Aus , matches in UAE were pretty poor to watch. The major damage though was done in the 00's with absolutely pancake pitches, dwindling bowling standards and a some of the greatest batting sides all coming together at one time.

Tests also ruthlessly expose a team if it is not upto the required standard unlike loi's where one great performance can carry the day. No one wants to watch the last 2 tests of a series where one team has already taken a couple of solid defeats.

 

[S.Kennedy]

This was always going to happen, wi have like 20 people turning up for tests these days. Absolutely pathetic scenes all around.

Honestly when tests are praised, people are really talking about the tests where 5-6 wickets fall in each session and 1-2 batsman play a heroic knock in great bowling conditions. That's really a small subset of all tests, there's nothing exciting or watchable about one team plodding along at 2.5 rpo without losing any wickets. The Ashes this year for instance was just poor to watch for a neutral.

I still quite like a boring first-class game though as a live spectator (I say first-class as I rarely get to tests). You find yourself in a bit of a day dream, reading the newspaper and drinking a flask of tea. There are worse ways to spend your time - especially if you have the weather.

 

[cnerd123]

Financially-challenged CWI asks SLC help to host home series - ESPNcricinfo

Yeah I'd say the end is near. Only the rich countries can afford to play test cricket, test cricket is for the rich and the elites. The poor will have to make way with fast food.

I wonder at what point did Cricket Boards start being able unable to afford to play Tests? 5 years ago? 10 years ago? 20?

Was there ever a point in history where playing Test Matches was a money-making venture? Or has it always cost more to put on that it brought in, and that's why we've had ODIs since the 70s and T20s more recently? Is it just that now boards have decided the way they'll deal with loss-making Tests is to just throw their hands up in the air and declare out loud they cannot play Tests anymore?

 

[cnerd123]

I still quite like a boring first-class game though as a live spectator (I say first-class as I rarely get to tests). You find yourself in a bit of a day dream, reading the newspaper and drinking a flask of tea. There are worse ways to spend your time - especially if you have the weather.

Anytime I watch any live cricket I find myself obsessively watching every ball, every signal by the umpires, every move in the field, every discussion between players.

I only zone out when I have someone with me to talk to, and even then I'm probably obsessively talking about the game in progress. I also tend to zone out when watching a match that I am taking part in, but thats usually because I'm getting myself or my teammates prepared to bat / am getting ready to take the field next innings.

And sometimes there is quite awful cricket out there. Its when one team is just going through the motions
with no intent to win the game. Any match is exciting as long as both teams are actively trying to win it, no matter what level of skill is on display. It only really loses purpose when one side has given in to their fate. And that happens a lot in cricket - when it happens in multi day cricket it is so much more painful to watch.

 

[DriveClub]

I wonder at what point did Cricket Boards start being able unable to afford to play Tests? 5 years ago? 10 years ago? 20?

Was there ever a point in history where playing Test Matches was a money-making venture? Or has it always cost more to put on that it brought in, and that's why we've had ODIs since the 70s and T20s more recently? Is it just that now boards have decided the way they'll deal with loss-making Tests is to just throw their hands up in the air and declare out loud they cannot play Tests anymore?

Lol times are different now, most people dont have time or patience to watch or follow test cricket now. Only the die hards like you and others in this forum will watch and post about test cricket. And coupled with it being a money losing venture only the rich boards who are invested in increasing or maintaining their "quality" of cricket will continue to pursue test cricket.

 

[S.Kennedy]

Anytime I watch any live cricket I find myself obsessively watching every ball, every signal by the umpires, every move in the field, every discussion between players.

I only zone out when I have someone with me to talk to, and even then I'm probably obsessively talking about the game in progress. I also tend to zone out when watching a match that I am taking part in, but thats usually because I'm getting myself or my teammates prepared to bat / am getting ready to take the field next innings.

And sometimes there is quite awful cricket out there. Its when one team is just going through the motions
with no intent to win the game. Any match is exciting as long as both teams are actively trying to win it, no matter what level of skill is on display. It only really loses purpose when one side has given in to their fate. And that happens a lot in cricket - when it happens in multi day cricket it is so much more painful to watch.

At the Hong Kong Blitz?

 

[Mr Miyagi]

I wonder at what point did Cricket Boards start being able unable to afford to play Tests? 5 years ago? 10 years ago? 20?

Was there ever a point in history where playing Test Matches was a money-making venture? Or has it always cost more to put on that it brought in, and that's why we've had ODIs since the 70s and T20s more recently? Is it just that now boards have decided the way they'll deal with loss-making Tests is to just throw their hands up in the air and declare out loud they cannot play Tests anymore?

Tests have long made money. WSC was happy to have 'super tests' even clashing with the Ashes. Broadcasters are paying more and more for content today, but players are being paid more, at domestic and international. There's more funding for facilities and what not now, so costs are increasing to spend the new increased revenue.

The old old days, touring sides would be granted a tour fee, but if the gate sales were above a certain figure, get bonus payments, so they'd help promote the games, talk to press etc.

Since the amateur gentleman and the professionals playing together, there has been a commercial nature surrounding cricket.