Test cricket's decline - part 8034

[The_Reaper]

As soon as Ireland can get a domestic first class competition running they should get test status.

 

[The Speaker]

They'd still struggle a bit holding onto players with the ECB flashing the prospect of playing in the Ashes in front of them IMO.

Ireland shouldn't be getting test status anytime soon, if ever.

I doubt it. Why would people be more interested in playing for a country other than their own just because they have a big Test series?

As soon as Ireland can get a domestic first class competition running they should get test status.

Bangladesh still doesn't have one!

Nevertheless, I believe Ireland is well on the way to forming one.

 

[Santana]

I doubt it. Why would people be more interested in playing for a country other than their own just because they have a big Test series?

You would be surprised what a lot of people would do instead of playing for their country. There is a lot of hype around the Ashes, plus there are other advantages playing for England over Ireland of course.

 

[The_Reaper]

You would be surprised what a lot of people would do instead of playing for their country. There is a lot of hype around the Ashes, plus there are other advantages playing for England over Ireland of course.

What kind of Irishman willingly plays for England anyway?

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Ireland's first-class comp is well and truly in the pipeline. Their CEO is really switched on with his dealings with the ICC, knows exactly what he's doing. Ireland/Northern Ireland combined have a bigger population than NZ, West Indies and Zimbabwe, so maintaining a reasonable talent pool is attainable.

Ireland's biggest problem will be the non-backing of India as they are likely to vote in with England/Australia/NZ.

No one can say Ireland don't deserve to be there while Zimbabwe continue to humiliate themselves, and Bangladesh are getting rolled by Tino Best at home.

 

[The_Reaper]

Ireland's first-class comp is well and truly in the pipeline. Their CEO is really switched on with his dealings with the ICC, knows exactly what he's doing. Ireland/Northern Ireland combined have a bigger population than NZ, West Indies and Zimbabwe, so maintaining a reasonable talent pool is attainable.

Ireland's biggest problem will be the non-backing of India as they are likely to vote in with England/Australia/NZ.

No one can say Ireland don't deserve to be there while Zimbabwe continue to humiliate themselves, and Bangladesh are getting rolled by Tino Best at home.

Ireland have a pretty logical basis for a 4 team provincial comp - Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.

 

[PTizzle]

DVN is exactly right. Ireland have talent, they have interest and they're sports mad over there. They don't embarrass themselves in the shorter form tournaments and have the framework in place. It'll take time, but there is no doubt whatsoever that whatever they'd produce would be far more competitive than Zimbabwe is - they have not had their shit together for a long while now.

Would have a nice local rivalry too...wonder if they could poach a few of their blokes back

 

[DrVanNostrand]

Would have a nice local rivalry too...wonder if they could poach a few of their blokes back

This would defintely need to happen. As soon as the green light is given, the ICC should give Morgan and Rankin (and possibly Dockrell in the future) a one-time offer to switch back with immediate effect and play in their nation's first ever Test match. If they decline, that's it, you're stuck.

Just a side note, who should be their first opponent and where should they play? Both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe played at home against India. Sri Lanka played England. All played in their nation's capital city. So....at Clontarf against England (neighbours) or West Indies/NZ (decent opposition without being a walkover).

 

[The Speaker]

This would defintely need to happen. As soon as the green light is given, the ICC should give Morgan and Rankin (and possibly Dockrell in the future) a one-time offer to switch back with immediate effect and play in their nation's first ever Test match. If they decline, that's it, you're stuck.

Just a side note, who should be their first opponent and where should they play? Both Bangladesh and Zimbabwe played at home against India. Sri Lanka played England. All played in their nation's capital city. So....at Clontarf against England (neighbours) or West Indies/NZ (decent opposition without being a walkover).

A one-off Test against England to start the county season?

Then host a series against a lesser team.

 

[Blue and Gold Blood]

Test cricket wont die out anytime soon. Im only 30 years old and i have plenty of friends male and female who prefer the tests over ODI's and 20/20. We will be around for hopefully 40-50 years more and no-one has forgotten about the enjoyment you get out of the long form of the game.

Sadly though i think ODI's are about 3-5 years away from being dead. Only 10 years ago you had to purchase your ticket at the WACA the day an ODI involving Australia went on sale, otherwise you would miss out. Now you can barely get the ground to 75% capacity. Its not just the 20/20's and oversaturation of cricket that is killing off ODI's though. The security is way over the top, and the crowds have been completely sanitised. Security kick people out of the ground for starting a mexican wave, or making a beer cup snake.... its pretty lame. You can no longer take big australian flags and wave them around, the beach balls are pounced on by security. The bar only serves mid-strength beer, and by the 15 over mark of the 2nd innings they limit you to 2 cups of beer per person. After 30 overs its 1.

Basically, most of fun has been completely taken out of attending the event.

 

[Wallaby]

There's no denying that the general talent is down than it was say 10/15 years ago and the quality isn't as good anymore. Now is this because of 20/20 or is it just a cycle? I don't know, but Test Cricket has problems right now.

I'm never sure about statements like these. I don't believe Test Cricket is much worse than it was 10-15 years ago. It's easy to miss the great players today if they don't bat for Australia - but there are just as many now as then.

I think Steyn, Philander, and probably Anderson now are 3 bowlers who would fit into any test era as greats. As for batting - Clarke, Amla, Cook, Sangakkara, Chanderpaul - all great players. Plenty of youngsters showing great promise - Kohli, Warner. I'll grant you, at this stage there doesn't seem to be spinners of the level of Warne, Kumble or Murali - Harbajhan was for a while, but has fallen away. Swann is pretty good.

I really do not think the standard is significantly less - I think we fall intoi the trap of remembering all the past greats top moments and forgetting their failures - like Ponting in India 2001, when his scored were 0, 6, 0, 0, 11, - and then went to England and made 11, 14, 4, 14, 17 before finding his form again.

 

[Hodgepodge]

I used to have respect for the Indians as a cricket nation. Thought they had a true appreciation for the game, it's history, it's heroes. The way they've whored out to IPL nonsense has surprised and disappointed me.

 

[Santana]

I'm never sure about statements like these. I don't believe Test Cricket is much worse than it was 10-15 years ago. It's easy to miss the great players today if they don't bat for Australia - but there are just as many now as then.

I think Steyn, Philander, and probably Anderson now are 3 bowlers who would fit into any test era as greats. As for batting - Clarke, Amla, Cook, Sangakkara, Chanderpaul - all great players. Plenty of youngsters showing great promise - Kohli, Warner. I'll grant you, at this stage there doesn't seem to be spinners of the level of Warne, Kumble or Murali - Harbajhan was for a while, but has fallen away. Swann is pretty good.

I really do not think the standard is significantly less - I think we fall intoi the trap of remembering all the past greats top moments and forgetting their failures - like Ponting in India 2001, when his scored were 0, 6, 0, 0, 11, - and then went to England and made 11, 14, 4, 14, 17 before finding his form again.

I agree over time we remember great players and great teams better than they actually were, but the talent just isn't as good anymore for me.

Steyn, yes would fit in with any era. Philander, still a bit early to call, but will probably get there.Anderson, very good but not a great for mine, a little bit over rated.

McGrath, Akram, Younis, Akhtar, Ambrose, Walsh, Donald, Pollock, Ntini, Vaas, Gillespie, Gough, Srinath and more, sorry but the pace attack was way better back then. And there's no point comparing the spin bowling.

As for batting, I feel it was superior too. Tendulkar (prime), Ponting, Lara, Dravid, Waugh, Inzamam, Yousuf, Flower, Gilchrist, Kirsten and more. Kaills, Chanderpaul and Jayawardene all played a part of this era, Sangakkara a little bit as well.

The overall talent is just better for mine, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

You would be surprised what a lot of people would do instead of playing for their country. There is a lot of hype around the Ashes, plus there are other advantages playing for England over Ireland of course.

I don't think "Ashes" would be the drawcard. The ECB can pay much bigger money than Ireland could ever afford. That might be the nation-changer.

I'm not sure that only getting a FC comp up and running is enough for Ireland. Other nations really need to have "A" team tours of Ireland, both in Ireland and away for a couple of years. If they could get six or seven first class games of those type a year, and are competitive in them, that shold put them on a better footing going into erarly Test cricket. The Intercontinental Cup first class games aren't really the best preparation to take on the Test nations (vital in the improvement in the second tier, but another step before Tests could avoid the Bangladesh start to Test cricket). There also needs to be a way for the ICC to enforce the FTP and make it more even, so that minnow nations actually get Tests once they have that status.

 

[damochandler]

anyone read deanos article in the age today. christ find a room deano, biggest wankfest you ever read in trying to find a way to make test cricket better

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/building-a-better-boxing-day-20130104-2c913.html

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

What is unknown is whether the 'new crowd' that has been attracted to T20 cricket will gravitate to test cricket once they gain more of an understanding and appreciation for the game, and want more. You play checkers before you play chess.

For the oldies on here... did WSC have a positive impact on test cricket 5+ years down the track?

For me no. I was already hooked prior to WSC.

As a kid, I used to get a score book for Christmas each year and sit there and score the tests. WSC came along and the major difference for me was seeing the South African cricketers and the amount of one day matches. It's a pity Graeme Pollock never came out and played. He was still slaying the Aussie rebels in the 80s when they toured there.

When I was old enough I started to play, I played for around 20 years at a reasonable level. When I was at home and there was a test on, I'd have the tv on and various radios on throughout the house so that I missed as little as possible.

After all that, I now have close to zero interest in cricket. There's a number of Australian test players now that I couldn't even tell you what they looked like. I have watched zero live balls of any form of cricket this season.

I think a combination of so many pointless ODI and the advent of 20 / 20 is what has ultimately turned me off, as well as having two young daughters that I'd prefer to devote time to rather than spending hours watching or listening to a cricket match.

I don't understand for 20 / 20 why they don't just set a bowling machine up at each end.

 

[Partridge]

I used to love test cricket as a young fella but have lost total interest as I don't have school holidays anymore lol. So I would prefer both shorter version because have lot less time to sit in front of the tv.

I've lost interest because most teams are shit, and good to ordinary players are now described as great. Most aren't anywhere near that.