4 Day Tests

[NotMcKenzie]

clearly that's compromise between the two boards. the 46-47 ashes in australia became 6 days after timeless got binned. clearly that's compromise, staying on Australia's side of the stance rather than England's. then the 48 Ashes in England met in the middle at 5 days.

Problem is that there's no evidence in terms of records of negotiation between the relevant authorities that I could find in Wisden and I do not remember records of the such negotiations elsewhere. The 47/48 series in the West Indies also had 5-day tests. Wisden had this to say about the length of tests in 1950:

The series of indecisive matches played by New Zealand influenced the Board of Control of Test Matches at Home to recommend that five days be allotted to each of the four Tests with West Indies this summer.

There was clearly a possibility then of tests not being 5 days even though 5-day tests had been played in the WI.

Clearly match length remained a province of the hosting authorities for a long time after WWII.

 

[Red]

I can't be bothered.

Fair enough.

Fwiw I'm sort of inclined to think that 4 day tests might mean we'd see more scores of 300. I could imagine someone like Warner or Kohli getting to 150 at a fairly conservative pace before absolutely launching for a session or so at a very high SR in order to get a team score of 500+ to put a heap of pressure on their opponents. Tactics won't change a whole lot but there'll be emphasis on scoring quickly with not as much to lose. You could imagine some guys going from 150 to 300 very rapidly in some scenarios.

 

[Spark]

As a general rule, the more compressed a game of cricket becomes, the faster the scoring. That's a pretty reasonable assumption, no?

 

[Red]

As a general rule, the more compressed a game of cricket becomes, the faster the scoring. That's a pretty reasonable assumption, no?

If winning is your objective, yes.

 

[mr_mister]

As a general rule, the more compressed a game of cricket becomes, the faster the scoring. That's a pretty reasonable assumption, no?

And also the smaller the team and invidual totals get? Surely?

 

[Daemon]

And also the smaller the team and invidual totals get? Surely?

Yes, but why is this of such a great concern?

 

[mr_mister]

Yes, but why is this of such a great concern?

It's not really. I just raised the point last night and people disagreed

I do love records though

 

[Dan]

It's completely irrational and like #993 on the list of potential reasons to dislike the idea of 4 day Tests, but I really don't like that the follow-on mark would be 150.

 

[Burgey]

gonna come to balmain and kick your arse

Beer at Dick’s?

 

[Pratters]

Let it be five days.

 

[Pratters]

It's completely irrational and like #993 on the list of potential reasons to dislike the idea of 4 day Tests, but I really don't like that the follow-on mark would be 150.

Yeah, that would be absolutely dire, if it happens.

 

[Daemon]

Let it be five days.

Done.

 

[Prince EWS]

Let it be five days.

Capital idea. Why didn't we think of this earlier?

 

[honestbharani]

I am starting to come around to the idea of 7 hour play 4 day tests which can give us 420 overs games instead of the current 450. The lack of the 5th day will surely hurt spinners as the effect of hot sun over the extra day will make a difference but I am sure the spinners will find a way, like they have always done over the course of the game's history.

 

[Flem274*]

im concerned about rain

 

[Ryan19]

It seems that the main reason for four day tests is to have the consistent scheduling. Personally, I don't understand why Thursday-Sunday tests make sense anyway. It makes more sense to start a test on the Friday. Often you already know who is going to win by the start of day 3.

One point no-one has touched on is surely a four day test will be much more punishing for the bowlers? I think the days would be capped at 98 overs because you can't expect a team to bowl 105 overs in a day and only give three days rest between tests. 98 overs is probably the maximum you can do and only have three days rest. I wonder if longer days would mean that teams need to have a fifth genuine bowling option which not all teams have right now.

 

[Spark]

It seems that the main reason for four day tests is to have the consistent scheduling. Personally, I don't understand why Thursday-Sunday tests make sense anyway. It makes more sense to start a test on the Friday. Often you already know who is going to win by the start of day 3.

One point no-one has touched on is surely a four day test will be much more punishing for the bowlers? I think the days would be capped at 98 overs because you can't expect a team to bowl 105 overs in a day and only give three days rest between tests. 98 overs is probably the maximum you can do and only have three days rest. I wonder if longer days would mean that teams need to have a fifth genuine bowling option which not all teams have right now.

Because playing sport during the day on Mondays and Tuesdays is a bit silly.

 

[cnerd123]

the real reason they're cutting down to 4-day Tests is money tbh. It costs a lot to schedule a 5th Day, to the point where if majority of matches are not going into the 5th day then it's just flushing cash away. There is also the opportunity cost of the 5th Day - it's one whole day of the ground and of the players and match officials time that could now be used for more domestic cricket and ODIs/T20Is instead. A 4-day match is obviously more appealing to TV broadcasters as well, since there is so much live sport and content to cover now days - limiting yourself to a single game between two teams for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, is not great for ratings (unless it's India playing obv), and when the game ends in Day 3 or 4 you're suddenly scrambling for content to fill up the un-played time.

Cricket is always going to be exciting as long as you've got two competitive sides and good conditions to play in. There is nothing magical or sacred about the 5th Day, as Spikey said. It's a fairly recent innovation anyways - it only became commonplace in the 1970s if I remember correctly. You would hope that with 4-day Tests we will see more bowler-friendly pitches (which tbf, we have already gotten a lot of in the last 5-7 years or so), and a faster, more appealing pace of play (which we also have been enjoying quite a bit of in recent times).

 

[Gnske]

I'd like to see a fair whack at deprivatizing televised cricket before we start meddling with the game to accomodate more money.

I'd also like to see where its thought the money being lost on a fifth day is actually hitting. More peanuts in the pocket of the bigger organisations is meaningless to me.

 

[Flem274*]

ianchappellball becomes more important with 4 day cricket, and i'd be sad to lose abdv 3 (458770) and mark richardson style players. ive always found the most cynical stone wallers extremely entertaining because they troll opposition fans and trigger the #intent brigade.