An agreed 6th day?

[Zinzan]

In watching what is looking more and more likely to be a boring draw between NZ and Sri Lanka on a perfect batting track, I was pondering the idea of a possible 6th day in a test.

A rule could be applied that if both Captains (and only if both) agreed that at the end of day 4 it could be announced that there will be a 6th day.

I know to a traditionalist this kind of idea may sound obsene, but it could turn a boring draw in to a most exciting prospect if both skippers agreed.

And surely as a contingency it wouldn't be that difficult for officials and authorities to plan for.

Any thoughts?

 

[Buddhmaster]

I think it would be good if it did happen, but probably not right.

 

[chaminda_00]

In watching what is looking more and more likely to be a boring draw between NZ and Sri Lanka on a perfect batting track, I was pondering the idea of a possible 6th day in a test.

A rule could be applied that if both Captains (and only if both) agreed that at the end of day 4 it could be announced that there will be a 6th day.

I know to a traditionalist this kind of idea may sound obsene, but it could turn a boring draw in to a most exciting prospect if both skippers agreed.

And surely as a contingency it wouldn't be that difficult for officials and authorities to plan for.

Any thoughts?

Bring back Timeless Test

I think these types of games are happening to often and it is not good for cricket. It seems that very couple of test we get these pacid pitches and are only going to create a result if you get sportng declaration or one team bats really crap.

 

[Zinzan]

Bring back Timeless Test

I think these types of games are happening to often and it is not good for cricket. It seems that very couple of test we get these pacid pitches and are only going to create a result if you get sportng declaration or one team bats really crap.

Timeless may be taking it too far

 

[honestbharani]

I think it would be better if the captains discuss on whether they need to play on the fifth day. If some obvious draw is the answer, then they can call off the fifth day's play, giving the players some much needed rest.

 

[Zinzan]

I think it would be better if the captains discuss on whether they need to play on the fifth day. If some obvious draw is the answer, then they can call off the fifth day's play, giving the players some much needed rest.

Why? That would just improve the chances of a boring draw wouldn't it? Doing nothing for the game.

All it would do is improve the handicaps of their Golf scores.

 

[Slats4ever]

I think it would be better if the captains discuss on whether they need to play on the fifth day. If some obvious draw is the answer, then they can call off the fifth day's play, giving the players some much needed rest.

wouldn't work to much money lost.

I don't see a problem with going to a 6th day... with the standards of bowlers these days it makes a lot of sense

 

[chaminda_00]

wouldn't work to much money lost.

I don't see a problem with going to a 6th day... with the standards of bowlers these days it makes a lot of sense

The bowlers these days aren't that bad it just that pitches are really bad to bowl on, it just like the bowlers pre covered pitches weren't that good it that the pitches were that good to bowl on. The way pitiches are going were are about to go full circle when it comes to the assitance that pitches provide to bowlers.

 

[honestbharani]

lol...I juz got carried away after having spent a night watching that draw by RSA against WI. As classy as Kallis was, it was still boring. Me and my friends always knew the first test would be a draw. Any test against any team except Australia at the Bourda is bound to be a draw, given the pitch and the climate.

 

[Slats4ever]

well whatever the reason is. if u like chaminda's or mine the point still stands

 

[psxpro]

I agree, but it would have to be decided on the 4th day.

 

[Zinzan]

Thats the plan. It would be a bit of a risk for a Captain though because once the decision has been made at the end of the 4th day, thats it. They can't change their mind after that if they happen to have a bad 5th day.

I think the idea would be great because if one captain is keen it would really put a lot of public pressure on the other captain to make a game of it even though both would need to agree.

 

[marc71178]

A rule could be applied that if both Captains (and only if both) agreed that at the end of day 4 it could be announced that there will be a 6th day.

I know to a traditionalist this kind of idea may sound obsene, but it could turn a boring draw in to a most exciting prospect if both skippers agreed.

And surely as a contingency it wouldn't be that difficult for officials and authorities to plan for.

Any thoughts?

It won't work.

Tests are already too close to each other so you can't agree halfway through the game to extend it as the gap between games would get even closer and cause more injury risks.

 

[Zinzan]

It won't work.

Tests are already too close to each other so you can't agree halfway through the game to extend it as the gap between games would get even closer and cause more injury risks.

There are always objections when negativity rears its ugly head. As i said contengencies can be put in place to take care of any scheduling problems.

 

[marc71178]

Right, so you ask for people's views, and when problems are pointed out (such as the scheduling nightmare this would bring into being) it's just because I'm being negative.

I'd like to know what contingencies you'd apply in England where Tests run Thursday to Monday and most 5 game series have at least 2 back to back, and often 2 pairs back to back.

Would you expect them to schedule it for Thursday-Tuesday then have just 1 day off to rest, travel and get ready for the next one?!

 

[_Ed_]

Although it would work well if the match was evenly balanced (the current NZ v SL test fits that), I think it would be hard to get both captains to agree if one side was absolutely cruising to victory and just needed a bit more time to get there. So there may not be a lot of situations in which it would work.

 

[deeps]

i think this is a great idea, the game is predominantly a batsman's game today, and ppl are batting for longer and longer, it makes sense to extend the game a little. Timeless tests would show who the ultimate test team is but it's not practical. I think there should be one timeless test per year, between the top two ranked sides.

i like the idea of 6 day tests, the more cricket the betteR

 

[slugger]

I like seeing people think outside the box, many people find it easier to be negative towards a new idea. Notice how quickly it takes to pull a building down compared to building one.

 

[Zinzan]

Right, so you ask for people's views, and when problems are pointed out (such as the scheduling nightmare this would bring into being) it's just because I'm being negative.

I'd like to know what contingencies you'd apply in England where Tests run Thursday to Monday and most 5 game series have at least 2 back to back, and often 2 pairs back to back.

Would you expect them to schedule it for Thursday-Tuesday then have just 1 day off to rest, travel and get ready for the next one?!

Obviously you'd need to plan in advance. At the most it would add 5 days (max) over a 5 tests series. It would be more expensive, but would it also be better for cricket and the crowds if there is more likely to be a result.

The up and coming Ashes or any test involving Australia is probably a bad example to support a 6th day because tests are not likely to go 5 days. But for the sort of Test NZ and sri lanka are having at the moment, it would be a great option

 

[Swervy]

Despite the fact that the bat is ruling the ball more than it has done for decades, there is a remarkably few number of drawn tests at the moment..why choose now to suggest a 6th day

Here are some figures:

2004 51 tests 11 draws (21.6%)
2003 44 tests 12 draws (27.3%)
2002 54 tests 8 draws (14.8%)
2001 55 tests 12 draws (21.8%)
2000 46 tests 12 draws (26.1%)

compare that to the first half of the 90's (1990-1995 inclusive)
187 tests 69 draws (36.9%)

In the 80's..267 tests 122 draws (45.7%)..and this at a time when it was considered that the ball held a lot more sway than now

In the 70's..197 tests...84 draws (42.6%)

so here we are in 2005, with drawn matches actually quite a rarity relative to the times when most people on here seem to think bowling was much superior...

the drawn match is as much a part of test cricket as a victory..why try and eliminate it, when it seems, due to the upsurge in run rates, the drawn match is shrinking to zero anyway.