Time to scrap 5-Test series?

[Demosthenes]

Can't remember the last time a team lost 2 of the first 3 Tests, but went on to draw/win the series.

Is there any value to 5 Test series any more? Particularly with the increased number of Test-playing nations.

I'd rather have 2x 3 Test series in the summer, and have more live matches.

 

[t_94]

No. Touring teams just need to be given the proper time to prepare. See Australia vs India earlier this year.

 

[Scotland]

Yes, the fewer series like the 2005 Ashes the better.

Wait, what?

 

[Demosthenes]

Yes, the fewer series like the 2005 Ashes the better.

One series in the middle of 40 years of Ashes tours that went too long.

 

[PhatBoy]

We play them once every four years here and likewise in England.

And in reality, who among proper cricket fans WOULDNT want to see Australia and SA play one, given how close the three test series generally are.

 

[KBLT]

Keep them for the Ashes and for other major rivalries.
Just no 2 match series. Please.

 

[largebus]

Make it 6 tests to prolong the suffering

 

[KBLT]

Make it 6 tests to prolong the suffering

7 Timeless Tests seems appropriate.

 

[Barry_Badrinath]

8 test series would be great

 

[IAMJUNGLEMUFFIN]

Rather play a 3 match series and have the series tied with 3 draws?

On GT-I9506 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Bomberboyokay]

I'm not thrilled about going to a dead rubber on Boxing Day.

CA won't openly say it but they're not happy their two biggest markets will be getting junk matches. A lot of walk ups won't bother now.

 

[Demosthenes]

Rather play a 3 match series and have the series tied with 3 draws?

On GT-I9506 using BigFooty.com mobile app

On balance, three Test series aren't drawn any more often than five Test series.

 

[Damon_3388]

If anything, we should be looking at making series longer, but tightening up the scheduling.

If we're using Boxing Day as a base fixture, a 5-Test series should be scheduled as follows:

1st Test - Brisbane - 6th Dec-10th Dec
2nd Test - Adelaide - 16th Dec-20th Dec
3rd Test - Melbourne - 26th Dec-30th Dec
4th Test - Sydney - 4th January-8th
5th Test - Perth - 14th January-18th January

All 2-Test series should be made into 3-Test series, and all 4-Test series should be made into 5-Test series.

We shouldn't be playing ODI or T20I series that are shorter than 3 matches each either.

 

[Demosthenes]

You can't play 25 days of Test cricket in the space of 43 days. You will destroy players.

 

[Speck]

We should be playing South Africa in 5 match series too.

 

[Gough]

We need to use the dry season up north in winter more than we do at the moment.

 

[Marstermind]

Ashes should always be 5 Tests. But the scheduling is rubbish. The last Ashes series in Australia with a live final Test was in 1982-83 but every final test since 1994-95 is in Australia's biggest city. Only 1 Test in that time at the country's biggest stadium has been live - 2010-11. Of course, it would help if England started coming over here and not being hopeless.

Agree with the earlier post. Start the series in early December, give England more warm up games, 3rd Test at the G, 4th in Sydney in the New Year, Adelaide or Perth to finish, whatever ODIs needed (no more than 5) through the rest of January, a couple of T20Is after the BBL has finished in early February.

 

[Marstermind]

You can't play 25 days of Test cricket in the space of 43 days. You will destroy players.

The current series runs from November 23 to January 8 - 46 days. Hardly much different. And it's marginally the longest Ashes series in either England or Australia since 2005 which went for 53 days. However, that was the last genuinely close and well contested Ashes series so to stretch them out may have merit.

 

[Scotland]

We need to use the dry season up north in winter more than we do at the moment.

There are 12 test playing nations now, so we should be playing Ireland, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the North.

 

[Scotland]

Would this series somehow be better if it was over after Adelaide and the Perth test was the dead rubber?

This series has been far more interesting than the two 2-0 series wins against the Windies and NZ in 2015/16, or the 4 wins and 2 draws last year. The less said about the 4 test series against India the better.

 

[frankrizzo]

Maybe it's just because i hated the way they used to carry on when they won a dead rubber test back in the 90's but for me there is no such thing as an ashes dead rubber, we have to win every game we can and we can't let them get anything out of the tour.

 

[GremioPower]

Can't remember the last time a team lost 2 of the first 3 Tests, but went on to draw/win the series.

Is there any value to 5 Test series any more? Particularly with the increased number of Test-playing nations.

I'd rather have 2x 3 Test series in the summer, and have more live matches.

ICC ratings count every test; the series being counted an extra test. So, even though the Ashes has been won, the next two test count just as much as the others for the rankings. Hence, winning 5-0 is different than winning 3-2. The Ashes has been retaken, but there still the need to pass England on the table.

 

[Blue1980]

5 test series aren’t the issue, we had an epic 4 test series in India earlier this year and South African series recently have left everyone wanting more.

I want 5 against all of England, South Africa and India.

2 test series should be reserved for the likes of Afghanistan and Ireland. Bangladesh are 3 test worthy now, especially if the windies are

 

[frankrizzo]

Few more things to look forward to on boxing day, england have equaled their worst run of consecutive away losses(7) and equaled their
worst run of consecutive away losses in Australia(8), so hopefully a few records get broken at the G.

 

[CD__]

There are 12 test playing nations now, so we should be playing Ireland, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the North.

Steve Smith would end up averaging 80+ if we did that.