Four-day test cricket

[vcs]

I'm glad GI Joe is back but his lack of an avatar makes me feel he isn't fully committed to his return.


I feel it's like dating a girl whom at first you thought it would just be a quick fling which is a lot of fun whenever you do get to meet but you know it's probably not going anywhere and it isn't going to last, but then you continue to keep seeing each other over and over again, andnow you're confused because it's been like 4 months and she hasn't added you back on social media yet and you don't know where this is going but you don't want to be that guy who suddenly gets all clingy on her and wants to know if you two are exclusive now and if this is a 'relationship' and you're 'boyfriend-girlfriend', so you hold off on asking any further questions and just enjoy her company whenever you get it. You don't want to ruin a good thing but the anxiety and uncertainity is also killing you slowly.




Goddamit GI Joe are we back together now or are we not.

When he posts translations of Altaf Raja songs in the "Music from the Subcontinent" thread, you know it is official...

 

[Lillian Thomson]

I'm not a fan of four day Test Cricket but something has to be done for it to survive as a spectator sport in some countries. I watched a few minutes of the South Africa/Bangladesh match yesterday and it was hard to justify its existence. The ground is like something from the Lancashire League in the 1920's and there were only a couple of hundred spectators, including a posse of Bangladeshians.

 

[Daemon]

It's test cricket's weakness isn't it. It really exaggerates the gulf in class between teams much more so than any other format, and unlike all other sports, the agony doesn't end quickly.

 

[weldone]

Looking at the Pak vs SL ongoing test match one would think there's a case for adding a 6th day.

 

[harsh.ag]

The 90 overs per innings 4 day tests should be given a shot. Only way for any team to get more overs is if the other team is all out or declares in their 90.

Incentive to score faster.
Incentive not to lose wickets quickly though.
4 days. All days important and fun.
More results, less draws.
Fourth innings chases become a regular thing.

Perhaps it can be done between Ireland and Afghanistan as a test case.

 

[Starfighter]

Repeat after me: Faster scoring does not equal more interesting.

 

[harsh.ag]

Repeat after me: Faster scoring does not equal more interesting.

It does for most fans.

 

[vcs]

Repeat after me: Faster scoring does not equal more interesting.

True, but games like the current Pakistan-SL one are not particularly good adverts for Test cricket. Sure, people like us will still follow it and find something to appreciate, but 200 runs being scored in a day for 3-4 wickets is as dull as it can get. Slow outfields, slow low pitches, no crowds.. UAE and WI are generally the worst venues these days for exciting Test cricket.

Once batsmen get past the initial tough period, you want them to get value for their shots. SA grounds are usually the best for this, and most English venues are also fine. Australia are a bit road-y lately, and India has a huge variance in conditions, but is generally OK, apart from the occasional Rajkot or Ranchi.

 

[OverratedSanity]

The 90 overs per innings 4 day tests should be given a shot. Only way for any team to get more overs is if the other team is all out or declares in their 90.

Incentive to score faster.
Incentive not to lose wickets quickly though.
4 days. All days important and fun.
More results, less draws.
Fourth innings chases become a regular thing.

Perhaps it can be done between Ireland and Afghanistan as a test case.

Sorry this is a crap idea imo. Tests should never have an overs restriction. That just makes them extended ODIs which no on wants to see. It's basically why ODIs are in trouble. There's not enough differentiation because ODIs are basically long t20s.

Do it as an experiment, but don't call it a test match. A few exceptions aside, if you don't take 20 wickets, you can't win... that basic rule in tests shouldn't be messed with. Your suggestion just promotes defensive bowling and makes all 3 formats similar which is the last thing cricket needs.

 

[OverratedSanity]

True, but games like the current Pakistan-SL one are not particularly good adverts for Test cricket. Sure, people like us will still follow it and find something to appreciate, but 200 runs being scored in a day for 3-4 wickets is as dull as it can get. Slow outfields, slow low pitches, no crowds.. UAE and WI are generally the worst venues these days for exciting Test cricket.

Once batsmen get past the initial tough period, you want them to get value for their shots. SA grounds are usually the best for this, and most English venues are also fine. Australia are a bit road-y lately, and India has a huge variance in conditions, but is generally OK, apart from the occasional Rajkot or Ranchi.

Yes, but the solution isn't really to promote faster scoring (although that can be fun), but more wicket taking and more sporting pitches.

For the most part, runs move an LoI match forward, and wickets are what move a test forward. Slow scoring can be perfectly entertaining if there are wickets falling, which is what makes test cricket it's own thing.

 

[harsh.ag]

Have a feeling there will be more dynamism than just promoting defensive bowling. There will be more risks taken in all directions imo.

The 20 wicket thing applies to a large degree here too. If the team chasing 300 in the fourth innings ends at 270/7, it's a draw and not a loss.

 

[Daemon]

The 90 overs per innings 4 day tests should be given a shot. Only way for any team to get more overs is if the other team is all out or declares in their 90.

Incentive to score faster.
Incentive not to lose wickets quickly though.
4 days. All days important and fun.
More results, less draws.
Fourth innings chases become a regular thing.

Perhaps it can be done between Ireland and Afghanistan as a test case.

Ban yourself

 

[harsh.ag]

Get on board I say. It's gonna be a thing.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

The 90 overs per innings 4 day tests should be given a shot. Only way for any team to get more overs is if the other team is all out or declares in their 90.

Incentive to score faster.
Incentive not to lose wickets quickly though.
4 days. All days important and fun.
More results, less draws.
Fourth innings chases become a regular thing.

Perhaps it can be done between Ireland and Afghanistan as a test case.

Day 1 - Team A all out for 140 in 45 overs. Team B 120 for 2 in 45 overs
Day 2 - Team B 440 for 8 in 135 overs in total.
Day 3 - Team A 295 for 3 in 90 overs. Still 5 runs behind. Game over.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Have a feeling there will be more dynamism than just promoting defensive bowling. There will be more risks taken in all directions imo.

The 20 wicket thing applies to a large degree here too. If the team chasing 300 in the fourth innings ends at 270/7, it's a draw and not a loss.

but . . . doesn't that defeat the whole purpose

 

[Flametree]

Just to be contrary I quite like this idea although groundsmen must play along by producing pitches with something in them for the bowlers, and umpires / match officials will have to do something to keep over-rates up.

I kind of prefer it to the two-divisions idea for tests. Maybe matches between the top 6 teams could be five day affairs and matches involving sides below that level will be four-day matches, but everyone still plays everyone else (however rarely when it's big three vs lower teams I know). If it encourages the likes of NZ to keep to three match series then it's a good thing.

I also find it a little amusing that the first to try this is South Africa - they'll have to bat very differently vs Zimbabwe to how they've gone about this current game against Bangladesh if they want a result.

 

[morgieb]

Yes, but the solution isn't really to promote faster scoring (although that can be fun), but more wicket taking and more sporting pitches.

For the most part, runs move an LoI match forward, and wickets are what move a test forward. Slow scoring can be perfectly entertaining if there are wickets falling, which is what makes test cricket it's own thing.

Which conversely I think 4 day matches will help. Because curators will be more confident in a more sporting wicket going 4 days than 5.

 

[harsh.ag]

Day 1 - Team A all out for 140 in 45 overs. Team B 120 for 2 in 45 overs
Day 2 - Team B 440 for 8 in 135 overs in total.
Day 3 - Team A 295 for 3 in 90 overs. Still 5 runs behind. Game over.

Gotta iron out the kinks.

but . . . doesn't that defeat the whole purpose

Nah it's not supposed to be an elongated LO game.

 

[FBU]

We have 2 Tests at the moment going into the 5th day.

 

[Lillian Thomson]

We’ve now had one official one that lasted two and a session and one starting tomorrow that is now four days.