What will test cricket look like in the future if it is to survive in any form?
Despite a just-concluded successful World Cup, the one day game isn't exactly in rude health. T20 is doing fine. The 100 is a marketing thought bubble. Nations proclaim they want to continue to support test cricket but aren't exactly backing their words up with money. So, what are the solutions?
I'm a traditionalist so like the current form but can see how it struggles for relevance outside England and Australia (good support from India because of Kohli's love of the game) and its competition for time with other pursuits. If we were to keep a current version, the biggest change I'd make would be for free entry but even then that may not be enough.
Perhaps something more radical is required. A break from the past. Something like:
Despite a just-concluded successful World Cup, the one day game isn't exactly in rude health. T20 is doing fine. The 100 is a marketing thought bubble. Nations proclaim they want to continue to support test cricket but aren't exactly backing their words up with money. So, what are the solutions?
I'm a traditionalist so like the current form but can see how it struggles for relevance outside England and Australia (good support from India because of Kohli's love of the game) and its competition for time with other pursuits. If we were to keep a current version, the biggest change I'd make would be for free entry but even then that may not be enough.
Perhaps something more radical is required. A break from the past. Something like:
- matches played at night (start at 5:00 p.m., run to 10:30 p.m. with a scheduled break)
- 75 overs a day
- 4-day games starting Thursday (at least in Australia, varies in other countries according to local weekend definitions)
- Each team bats 75 overs, unless dismissed.
- Next team batting gets their allotted overs plus any extras from innings of other team.
- Visiting team chooses whether to bat first.
