Four day tests

[bobw]

ECB are supporting four rather than five day tests. The justification being to reduce the load on players.

I would suggest the gaps will be filled with yet more 20 over or even 16.4 over cricket. Test series have been reduced to three or even two tests for just this reason.

[mawallace]

And then they suggest the Country Championship is reduced to 3 days

[smandlej]

Think they'd rather the County Championship was reduced to 3 matches!

Happy New Year!

Lynda

[LeedsExile]

Yes and played overseas as well. Happy New Year to all.

[Valentines Park]

Very few tests go the distance so they might as well make it official.

[jwb2]

My instinct is that most tests do not last five days that often now. But given that they increased the daily number of overs to 98 in four day tests when most can’t get 90 in will be a problem if they don’t start penalising slow overrates.

[bobw]

Most test do not last four days.

The number of twenty over matches has increased.

Spot the link!

[IlfordEagle]

So the ECB now advocate 4 day Tests to ease the workload on players? That'll be the increased workload made by themselves & their stupid, irresponsible & uncaring approach previously to cram in as much 1 day cricket as possible. No doubt the loss of 5 days from an Ashes series will be compensated by extra 1 day matches!!
As Richard Littlejohn would say 'you couldn't make it up'.

[LeedsExile]

With climate change screwing the weather up I would have thought you need 5 days to allow for weather interference. The recent test in Pakistan was ruined by rain so it can happen anywhere. The idea that they will bowl more overs in 4 days to compensate is absurd. The players have no interest in increasing over rates and the umpires are complicit in the go-slow.

[nat]

With climate change screwing the weather up I would have thought you need 5 days to allow for weather interference. The recent test in Pakistan was ruined by rain so it can happen anywhere. The idea that they will bowl more overs in 4 days to compensate is absurd. The players have no interest in increasing over rates and the umpires are complicit in the go-slow.

Quite. We need a spectator strike. The only language the ECB will understand.

[bobw]

With climate change screwing the weather up I would have thought you need 5 days to allow for weather interference. The recent test in Pakistan was ruined by rain so it can happen anywhere. The idea that they will bowl more overs in 4 days to compensate is absurd. The players have no interest in increasing over rates and the umpires are complicit in the go-slow.

Quite. We need a spectator strike. The only language the ECB will understand.

Or would they then conclude that there is no demand for test cricket and have even more 50 and 20 over matches?

[Perov]

Quite. We need a spectator strike. The only language the ECB will understand.
[/quote]

I'm hoping there will be a spectator strike for the 100 ball abomination.

[bobw]

I take it the ECB do not count the current test going to the wire on the FIFTH day.

[nat]

I take it the ECB do not count the current test going to the wire on the FIFTH day.

Trouble is...the South African cricket board are the latest to support 4 day Tests.

[IlfordEagle]

See my post under SA 2nd Test, No to 4 day Tests.