Time to scrap 5-Test series?

[HODGEYROAD]

No we should be having 5 Test series against SA and India also, glad they have increased the South African series up to 4 tests in 2018.

 

[Wallaby]

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.

Won't happen now - SA have also embraced the Boxing Day Test idea (that historic tradition in Australia that dates back to the 1970s), so they are always wanting to be playing a test series at home then. Ditto the Kiwis.

So we won't get Home 5-test series against either one of them unless we want to start in January.

 

[Damon_3388]

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

It's essentially 5 playing days, with an even 5 days gap in between, every time out.

Given how much standing and sitting around is involved in cricket, and the heavier scheduling other sports have (think Major League Baseball or the NBA, with travel), if they're any sort of reasonably conditioned and managed professional athletes, I think they can handle it.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

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.

Should the Boxing Day and New Year's tests be played elsewhere?

Have the 2nd and 3rd test in Melbourne and Sydney?

 

[Badesumofu]

From looking at the next FTP we will be playing one-off tests against Ireland and Afganistan when we tour England and wherever Pakistan play their home games respectively. In the former case that could actually work decently well as a sort of Ashes warm-up. Better than playing the substandard second grade second XI sides they'll likely provide us for the actual warm up games.

I'd like to see us play some two test series against those sides in the top end as Gough suggested. Or even a one off in our Summer down in Hobart in the seasons where Hobart otherwise would not get a Test. Now that those kind of matches only need 4 scheduled days they should be more financially viable to play here in Australia.

 

[Wolfs]

India, SA and England should be 5 tests. The rest except ZIM, AFG, and IRE should be 3.

 

[cricketnut14]

India, SA and England should be 5 tests. The rest except ZIM, AFG, and IRE should be 3.

so what you are really saying is just have aust/eng/ind/sa playing for the test world championship and basically treat the other matches as warm up games/friendlies etc ?

I say scrap the 1,2 & 5 test series (as much as I love the ashes) and every team should play a 7 test home summer with 2 visiting nations (England tend to play 7 home tests every summer).
perhaps zim/afg/ire who aren't in the test championship play the one off tests as warm ups and they can play 3 test series against each other ?

play one nation for 3 and the other nation for 4 with playing teams on an even basis with the home team negotiating who gets the 4 test series. we can still have odi and t20 cricket.

eg. an aussie summer could look like this
year 1:eng (4) nz (3)
year 2:ind (4) wi (3)
year 3:sa (4) sl (3)
year 4ak (4) bang (3)

 

[Greenstar5]

The Ashes should always be 5 test matches.

Would like to see 5 against South Africa and India.

3 tests against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh.

1 test against Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan.

I feel a key to touring parties in Australia is still getting a bunch of tour matches under your belt prior to the first test and during the series. Tour matches should also be played on test venues; where possible.

 

[Blue1980]

The Ashes should always be 5 test matches.

Would like to see 5 against South Africa and India.

3 tests against Sri Lanka, Pakistan, West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh.

1 test against Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan.

I feel a key to touring parties in Australia is still getting a bunch of tour matches under your belt prior to the first test and during the series. Tour matches should also be played on test venues; where possible.

Agree with all this, I can’t see why we don’t have 7 tests a home summer, surely it’s a matter of time before we do, it’s most likely some issue with pay, can’t see anything else it could be.

We should see 7 tests a home summer and 2 tests in the winter up north when we aren’t touring from May to October. 50 over cricket is what needs to be cut down because no one gives a shit.

A left field idea, when England tour again they can play Afghanistan in Australia considering they don’t have a home. Would give them both experience in these conditions.

 

[Blue1980]

Won't happen now - SA have also embraced the Boxing Day Test idea (that historic tradition in Australia that dates back to the 1970s), so they are always wanting to be playing a test series at home then. Ditto the Kiwis.

So we won't get Home 5-test series against either one of them unless we want to start in January.

Yes that ancient 40 year old tradition. People assume if something has been happening as long as they remember then it dates back 100+ years.

For the one in every 4 years South Africa tour I’m sure we could have a January test as either the first or second of the series. Be nice to not be hosting a dead rubber.

 

[Scotland]

It's a tradition that gets the punters through the gate. 63k last year on a rain affected day 1 to watch Australia vs Pakistan. Why would you risk that?

No different to ANZAC Day footy really and that started in the 90s. Tell Melbourne people that a game involving two average sides is an event and they are there in their thousands. Cha-ching, say the AFL and CA.

 

[frankrizzo]

They got over 90,000 first day of the dead rubber ashes 4 years back as well so people clearly don't care about the series score they just want the ashes on boxing day.

Was actually a close test till the last innings as well, england really should have won it but let haddin and the tail drag us close to their total.

 

[workhorse]

I'd love to see a 7-Test Summer, with less ODI and T20I games. (More ODI games in the summer proceeding the World Cup)

In my opinion, each year have 2 series - one against England, India, South Africa and New Zealand or Pakistan which is 4-5 tests and one against Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, West Indies etc. which is 2-3 tests. With 7 tests you can alternate the series schedule to allow a 4 match series vs New Zealand or South Africa before Boxing Day so that both of those countries can return for their home summers, or for the Indian/England series push it back to allow Boxing Day to be the 3rd/4th test out of 7 and allow more tests in the January School Holidays. Which allows the Adelaide Australia Day test to return.

Use Hobart and Canberra as the 6th and 7th venues and play 3 D/N tests: Brisbane, one of Hobart/Canberra (can alternate year on year) and, of course, Adelaide. During the Ashes only play 1 D/N test at Adelaide and keep Brisbane as a day test.

Essentially if you applied to this summer it would be:

1st Test - Nov 17-21 - Australia vs Bangladesh/West Indies @ Hobart
2nd Test - Nov 29-Dec 3 - Australia vs Bangladesh/West Indies @ Canberra D/N
-----
1st Test - Dec 14-18 - Australia vs England/India @ Brisbane
2nd Test - Dec 26-30 - Australia vs England/India @ Melbourne
3rd Test - Jan 4-8 - Australia vs England/India @ Sydney
4th Test - Jan 14-18 - Australia vs England/India @ Perth
5th Test - Jan 25-29 - Australia vs England/India @ Adelaide D/N

or (using the 2017/18 calendar for example)

1st Test - Nov 15-19 - Australia vs South Africa/New Zealand @ Brisbane D/N
2nd Test - Nov 24-28 - Australia vs South Africa/New Zealand @ Canberra
3rd Test - Dec 6-10 - Australia vs South Africa/New Zealand @ Perth
4th Test - Dec 15-19 - Australia vs South Africa/New Zealand @ Adelaide D/N
-----
1st Test - Dec 26-30 - Australia vs Pakistan/Sri Lanka @ Melbourne
2nd Test - Jan 4-8 - Australia vs Pakistan/Sri Lanka @ Sydney
3rd Test - Jan 17-21 - Australia vs Pakistan/Sri Lanka @ Hobart D/N

Either way, the BBL runs at the same time as it does now and no BBL played only when games clash with a D/N test. FC games start at the same time (perhaps a day or two earlier if needed) to allow 3 games before the 1st Test of the Summer. Reduce the number of ODI and T20I games and the ones that are played can be played at venues such as Etihad Stadium, Kardinia Park and Spotless Stadium for diversity as well as being more appropriate for crowd sizes.

 

[Heisenberg_]

Fix the pitches and 5 test series are no problem

 

[spookism]

Won't happen now - SA have also embraced the Boxing Day Test idea (that historic tradition in Australia that dates back to the 1970s), so they are always wanting to be playing a test series at home then. Ditto the Kiwis.

So we won't get Home 5-test series against either one of them unless we want to start in January.

Yeah, Unfortunately we will never have a 5 test series with South Africa again.

4 Tests though is good.

 

[Taylor]

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.

Australians love a bandwagon to jump on, there will be plenty who go now because Australia are winning.

 

[Hellgood]

It's not like England are putting up no contest either, they've been well in the game for each of the three tests, but when the clinch moment comes Australia have owned it and it all spirals from there.

 

[Belnakor]

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

we're scheduled to play a test against Afganistan in the new touring schedule. Considering they are basically Pakistan A, Smith should fill his boots. Assuming he gets a bat.

 

[Belnakor]

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

We played what? 2 series up there? Vs Bangas and vs Sri Lanka? Not sure why we didn't do it again.

 

[Belnakor]

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

only one team has ever come back from 0-2 down to win the series and it had a bloke called Bradman in the team. Your a pretty tough judge.

Imagine the '05 ashes if it was only 3 tests? 5 test series have alot of potential.

 

[frankrizzo]

Should the Boxing Day and New Year's tests be played elsewhere?

Have the 2nd and 3rd test in Melbourne and Sydney?

They would never accept that, they would want the whole series moved so the boxing day and new years games are early in the series.

For my money you can't have it both ways, if you want the big games like the boxing day test then you have to accept the series might be done by then, i still say the people of melbourne can't care that much not when 90,000 turned up to day 1 to watch the dead rubber last time.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

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.

It's not a dead rubber. It's a Boxing Day Test. Both teams will be keen to win it.

 

[Carbine Chaos]

It's not a dead rubber. It's a Boxing Day Test. Both teams will be keen to win it.

Well, both teams being keen to win it doesn't change the fact that, by definition, the match is a dead rubber.

 

[Power Raid]

I could accept scrapping the concept of 5 tests, if the alternative was six tests or more

 

[Bomberboyokay]

It's not a dead rubber. It's a Boxing Day Test. Both teams will be keen to win it.

It's a dead rubber.