Four day tests - why the push?

big_e

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Part of the suggestion comes from scheduling - with mandated three day breaks, you could essentially have Thursday to Sunday tests every week somewhere around the world. You also don't get tests finishing on a workday in front of no-one. When you think about it, it's quite odd that the most poorly attended day of a test match is usually the day it finishes.

I like it.
 

Coops93

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We're seeing a lot of results these days. Don't want to go back to four days and see teams playing for draws or contriving results.
This is my issue. A team batting until the end of the 4th days is much more doable and more realistic than batting to the end of the 5th day.

Imagine how cagey Pakistan would have been already if they knew they just had to last until the end of today. They'd have dug in much more, but knowing they have to go all of tomorrow as well means they know it's just a matter of time and if anything is moving the game along faster. If they just had to last 2 more sessions they'd have dug in much more.
 
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Why the push in trying to stage manage test cricket full stop?

It's 5 days x 90 overs per day of permissible playing time. The 2019 Ashes had 3 x 5 day tests and 2 x 4 day tests. The fabled 2005 Ashes had a mixture of 4 and 5 day tests with the first test barely dragging into the fourth day and being held up by rain.

For years CA have had a hard on for 5 day tests because 5 days of paying customers means more money in the coffers but people lose interest rapidly watching tired pace attacks bowl at 130 and both teams hit 500 in the first innings. The great thing about the recent Ashes was that matches were going into day 5 with multiple results in play and people were lining up to get in because of it. Good on Pakistan for making a go of this Adelaide test and not just rolling for 150 in two innings but it's hardly been a memorable contest between bat and ball.

There is no need to limit tests to 5 days. Just prepare more interesting pitches and let the game run its natural course of 3-5 days.
 

Ishikawa

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I believe the main push is from a cost and time point of view of the lesser wealthier nations. It's argued that one less a day can help alleviate costly venue costs for the home board and also compress tours & free up time in the schedule for touring sides.
 

Wines to cripps

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So few teams are test standard atm meaning games don't go deep..

That game in England when strokes and leech played out for a draw proves 5 day cricket is spot on..

Even the game on atm nz v poms any result is still on the cards going into day 5
 

Ron The Bear

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I believe the main push is from a cost and time point of view of the lesser wealthier nations. It's argued that one less a day can help alleviate costly venue costs for the home board and also compress tours & free up time in the schedule for touring sides.

Sounds very socialist in nature - restrict the sport at the top end for the benefit of the strugglers.
 

Ishikawa

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Sounds very socialist in nature - restrict the sport at the top end for the benefit of the strugglers.

I don't see it that way :think: - I think it being implemented flexibly is what most people are proposing (ie. countries / series who cant afford it or to help integrate the match into the fixtures). A few have mentioned it in the context of improving the quality / intensity of play but not sure this would actually be the case.

I don't see it as necessary to implement on a blanket basis but if it means tests like SA-Zim last December and England-Ireland at Lords go ahead as a result of less costs commercially and helps fit such matches in then its a good thing.
 

Ron The Bear

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I don't see it as necessary to implement on a blanket basis but if it means tests like SA-Zim last December and England-Ireland at Lords go ahead as a result of less costs commercially and helps fit such matches in then its a good thing.

Ah I see. Questionable then whether those games would deserve the status of ‘Test match’. But if they’re downgraded, there isn’t much incentive for the strong nations to engage in these fixtures. Maybe the ‘A’ sides should be playing these matches until the weaker nations reach a certain level of proficiency. Not sure Ireland or Zimbabwe warrant Test status at the moment - neither have a winning record v Afghanistan in ODI’s.
 

big_e

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So few teams are test standard atm meaning games don't go deep..

That game in England when strokes and leech played out for a draw proves 5 day cricket is spot on..

Even the game on atm nz v poms any result is still on the cards going into day 5
Define "test standard".
 

big_e

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The cynic in me thinks that the chance of big scores being posted drops right off as the time for a result is shortened, protecting legacies.

There will still be flat wickets with average attacks one innings victories allowing big scores.
So there will be both lesser and greater chance of big scores?
 
So there will be both lesser and greater chance of big scores?

I wouldn't expect flat wickets against immature and average bowling attacks to come around often, and I would expect the groundsmen to produce a more spicy wicket to get a result in 20% less time, bringing the day 5 pitch to day 4.

There will still be times when the stars align but the window to see it gets smaller.
 

Ishikawa

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Ah I see. Questionable then whether those games would deserve the status of ‘Test match’. But if they’re downgraded, there isn’t much incentive for the strong nations to engage in these fixtures. Maybe the ‘A’ sides should be playing these matches until the weaker nations reach a certain level of proficiency. Not sure Ireland or Zimbabwe warrant Test status at the moment - neither have a winning record v Afghanistan in ODI’s.

That's quite an ignorant view. Ireland are more than competitive as Pakistan and England have discovered.

What exactly is the relevance of a winning record vs Afghanistan in a completely different format of the game?
 
Ah I see. Questionable then whether those games would deserve the status of ‘Test match’. But if they’re downgraded, there isn’t much incentive for the strong nations to engage in these fixtures. Maybe the ‘A’ sides should be playing these matches until the weaker nations reach a certain level of proficiency. Not sure Ireland or Zimbabwe warrant Test status at the moment - neither have a winning record v Afghanistan in ODI’s.

wat
 

Ron The Bear

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That's quite an ignorant view. Ireland are more than competitive as Pakistan and England have discovered.

What exactly is the relevance of a winning record vs Afghanistan in a completely different format of the game?

Well they don’t have much of a Test record to speak of. Yeah they caught England on the hop, before being bowled out in 15 overs. Is it right to push these nations up to Test status before they’re ready, then have to alter the definition of Test cricket to accommodate them as with this proposal?
 
Well they don’t have much of a Test record to speak of. Yeah they caught England on the hop, before being bowled out in 15 overs. Is it right to push these nations up to Test status before they’re ready, then have to alter the definition of Test cricket to accommodate them as with this proposal?

They spent a DECADE proving their readiness, what more do they need to do? They were more ready than Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka when they were given Test status.
 

The Passenger

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What do you mean by 'crack down' on over rates? Because the reality is that the incidence of over rate violations is actually pretty low. Last year we lost 8 overs spread over 48 Test matches - not a large number, you'd have to agree.
A violation that is actually enforced is now the same as lost overs.

There's 11 overs missing on a single day along in the fourth ashes test
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/as...an-healy/b57e8120-79e0-409c-8db6-0fd680c56224

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricke...-aussies-take-on-england-20190822-p52joz.html

Screenshot from 2019-12-04 17-44-54.png


If anything you've just proved the point on how much there needs to be a crackdown on over rates. I don't know if either of these resulted in violations.
 
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Barlos Crathwaite

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Why is there a push from “company men” like Mark Taylor to talk about moving to 4 day tests?

I don’t think I have spoken to a single legitimate cricket fan who wants 4 day tests instead of 5.

are aca against it because the gate is lower on the 5th day? Save costs on booking the venues?

Thankfully India are solidly in the 5 day test camp but still it worries me.

Thoughts?
Why the push?? Are you for real?

Flat commercial pitches are killing test cricket and are rolled out all over the world to ensure maximum TV coverage which translates to maximum ad exposure which translates to more money for the corporate sponsors.

Four day tests would put the onus on boards around the world to freshen up pitches and teams to score quicker to achieve a result. Why the push? FMD 🤢🤢
 

Barlos Crathwaite

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So few teams are test standard atm meaning games don't go deep..

That game in England when strokes and leech played out for a draw proves 5 day cricket is spot on..

Even the game on atm nz v poms any result is still on the cards going into day 5
Were you watching that game? Aside from that goober of a drop from denly no way were England going to take the wickets they needed to force the issue on that pitch. Pitches where the life drains out of it as the game goes on are killing test cricket and NZ and most of the rest of the world serve them up to maximize ad revenue
 

Caesar

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There's 11 overs missing on a single day along in the fourth ashes test
https://wwos.nine.com.au/cricket/as...an-healy/b57e8120-79e0-409c-8db6-0fd680c56224
A match can fall short of planned overs for a range of reasons, of which over rates is one. The fact that there was no penalty issued in this case would indicate that the other delays to play identified by the match referee were sufficient to explain the shortfall.

The process may appear opaque to viewers and commentators, but it is fairly clear to the teams who ensure they stay on just the right side of the line. As a result, well-managed teams rarely get stung by over rate penalties.
 

Bomberboyokay

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Why the push?? Are you for real?

Flat commercial pitches are killing test cricket and are rolled out all over the world to ensure maximum TV coverage which translates to maximum ad exposure which translates to more money for the corporate sponsors.

Four day tests would put the onus on boards around the world to freshen up pitches and teams to score quicker to achieve a result. Why the push? FMD 🤢🤢

Pitches are prepared the way CA et al want them as it is. Shortening the matches wouldn't change that.
 

Wines to cripps

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Were you watching that game? Aside from that goober of a drop from denly no way were England going to take the wickets they needed to force the issue on that pitch. Pitches where the life drains out of it as the game goes on are killing test cricket and NZ and most of the rest of the world serve them up to maximize ad revenue

I posted the morning of day 5 where nz had a slight lead thus where all results were possible...

If a team can't create 10 wicket taking balls In 98 overs that's laughable...

On the nz game the poms went with no spinner and nz a left arm off spinner who barely spins it.how about teams pick 6 bowlers,? Or more part timers get used.
 
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