ICC chief suggests four-day test matches

[Howsie]

Four day test cricket

What happens if a team makes 500 batting first, the game is all but over. But yeah this guy is right, the crowds would be a lot bigger to watch the last two days.

[ZexyZahid]

What kind of ICC president did they appoint? Some countries were actually suggesting to extend a Test match (because of the light and dewness factor), not shorten a Test match. This isn't the smartest idea of this guy.

[MacLovin]

Some countries were actually suggesting to extend a Test match

yeah they did that. they turned down the 2 division thing and went with this.

the new rule of the ICC the next FTP will have duration of eight years instead of the current 6 years. they are giving 36 Tests and 51 ODIs to Bangladesh in 8 years (2012-2020). the present FTP that started from 2006 and finishes in 2012 contained 39 Tests and 68 ODIs for Bangladesh

[King Cricket]

Stupid idea. It will just increase the number of draws. And make the tests extremely dull and boring. I say, instead of announcing these stupid things, why don't they make it a must for all the countries to make pitches conducive to result? The poor quality of world-wide pitches is one of the main reasons why tests are losing popularity. And Test cricket can be made more exciting only in that way- they will have to improve the quality of pitches. And not in this stupid way, these things will just make it even more dull.

[Howsie]

Originally Posted by King Cricket

Stupid idea. It will just increase the number of draws. And make the tests extremely dull and boring. I say, instead of announcing these stupid things, why don't they make it a must for all the countries to make pitches conducive to result? The poor quality of world-wide pitches is one of the main reasons why tests are losing popularity. And Test cricket can be made more exciting only in that way- they will have to improve the quality of pitches. And not in this stupid way, these things will just make it even more dull.

Money.......

[Gilly Fan]

More draws? Why? That's just stupid. Leave Test cricket be. I don't agree with day night tests but if that's what we must do to keep the 5 day game then I'm all for it. Just don't let it change the Boxing Day and New Years Tests.

[sifter132]

Originally Posted by King Cricket

Stupid idea. It will just increase the number of draws. And make the tests extremely dull and boring. I say, instead of announcing these stupid things, why don't they make it a must for all the countries to make pitches conducive to result? The poor quality of world-wide pitches is one of the main reasons why tests are losing popularity. And Test cricket can be made more exciting only in that way- they will have to improve the quality of pitches. And not in this stupid way, these things will just make it even more dull.

Agree wholeheartedly with this. 4 day cricket would be a disaster given some of the 'roads' that are currently being passed off as Test pitches. Shortening the game would probably mean bowlers would need some kind of aid to help them take enough wickets in 4 days. Newer balls more often? More bouncers per over? Perhaps deadening bats, but that would just slow the scoring rate, not raise the wicket taking. There's not much that can be done to help bowling except for preparing fairer pitches.

Day night Tests? Not for me, first the conditions are too different at night. But mainly, I think the idea of day-night Tests are just a blatant money and TV ratings grab, a knee jerk reaction to the T20 juggernaut by those desperate to keep Test cricket afloat. Maybe in future but I don't think we need it now.

And different balls? One of the things that annoys me about Test cricket now is that different balls are used in different countries. Why can't every nation use the Duke ball or the Kookaburra or the SG...whatever, lets just have a worldwide standard ball.

2 Tier competition? About bloody time. The introduction of Bangladesh was one of the worst decisions made by the ICC and every statistician worth his salt now has to correct for games against Bangladesh (and Zimbabwe of the 2000s). Less teams in the top grade means less series' to squeeze into the calender, more rest time for the players or room to put in a decent Test cricket World Cup. It would also encourage the fringe nations to dream big and get more regular cricket.

If anything it's the 50 over game that should change, not Test cricket...leave it alone Mr Morgan

[Howsie]

Originally Posted by sifter132

Agree wholeheartedly with this. 4 day cricket would be a disaster given some of the 'roads' that are currently being passed off as Test pitches. Shortening the game would probably mean bowlers would need some kind of aid to help them take enough wickets in 4 days. Newer balls more often? More bouncers per over? Perhaps deadening bats, but that would just slow the scoring rate, not raise the wicket taking. There's not much that can be done to help bowling except for preparing fairer pitches.

Day night Tests? Not for me, first the conditions are too different at night. But mainly, I think the idea of day-night Tests are just a blatant money and TV ratings grab, a knee jerk reaction to the T20 juggernaut by those desperate to keep Test cricket afloat. Maybe in future but I don't think we need it now.

And different balls? One of the things that annoys me about Test cricket now is that different balls are used in different countries. Why can't every nation use the Duke ball or the Kookaburra or the SG...whatever, lets just have a worldwide standard ball.

2 Tier competition? About bloody time. The introduction of Bangladesh was one of the worst decisions made by the ICC and every statistician worth his salt now has to correct for games against Bangladesh (and Zimbabwe of the 2000s). Less teams in the top grade means less series' to squeeze into the calender, more rest time for the players or room to put in a decent Test cricket World Cup. It would also encourage the fringe nations to dream big and get more regular cricket.

If anything it's the 50 over game that should change, not Test cricket...leave it alone Mr Morgan

Pretty well summed up but the reason the pitches are so dead is becuase of TV coverage and money. When India came over in March and NZC got that massive contract with ESPN I think? there were rumours New Zealand wasn't allowed to produce green tracks like last time because the games would finish to quickly.

[King Pietersen]

Hmm, good thinking from the ICC. More draws are always good for the game.

[skrillex_x]

Haha, bring in superover if it's a draw.

[Cricketman]

LOL, that's actually not such a bad idea. Maybe not a super over, perhaps something like an 'overtime'?

Even though i'm all for gripping draws.

[khalek]

I hope the Taliban shoots Haroon Lorgat and David Morgan.

[aussie1st]

If they want to make cricket less boring then how about making it mandatory that pitches have to offer something for the bowlers. If we are getting 600 runs each inns with each team batting once then clearly the pitch is offering nothing for the bowlers and the ground staff should be fined for making a boring pitch.

This idea is just plain stupid, it kills the tradition of Test cricket and would result it way too many draws.

[sohum]

I think David Morgan actually knows less about cricket than the average person on this forum if he seriously believes in this idea.

The problem is not the length of the game, the problem is the fact that only about 6 nations can play Test cricket properly, pitches are being produced to create TV revenues and the ICC is having too many ICC events every year. Look at this:

2007 - Cricket World Cup, World Twenty20
2008 - Champions Trophy
2009 - World Twenty20, Champions Trophy
2010 - World Twenty20
2011 - Cricket World Cup

7 tournaments in 5 years is overkill. I think they should get rid of the Champions Trophy and allow players to take a break/schedule bilateral series' then instead. Has anyone noticed the death of triangular and quadrangular series'? I thought they were quite interesting since there was something to play for in every game.

If Morgan really wants to fix things, he needs to do a few things:

1) Create a league-structure out of Test cricket that keeps intact the bilateral nature
2) Standardize the number of games that can comprise a series to 3 or 5.
3) Punish cricket boards that produce more than 35% draws in non-rain affected games.

I would personally create two divisions, and assign a certain number of points per match victory, series victory, etc. Points would be deducted from a team's tally if they produced non-result oriented pitches. At the end of the season relegation/promotion would take place. Hence, if the boards did not encourage exciting pitches their team would face a stronger chance of getting relegated and be playing against opponents who would not generate much TV revenue.

[Chetan0304]

Evolution of Test Cricket into T20 cricket. colored bowl, night matches, expect this to come very soon. the traditional cricket rules are gonna be history.

Free Hit rule - VVS hitting a four lol!