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ECB wants 4 day Tests

jargan83

Coach
Messages
14,891
INCOMING England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Colin Graves confirmed on Tuesday that he is considering tabling proposals to shorten Test matches from five days to four.

"
Personally, I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day starting at 10.30am in the morning, and finish when you finish as all the grounds now have lights,” Graves, who takes up his role in May, told the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) website.

The ECB could not itself introduce four-day Test matches, but it could push for changes to the Test format in international negotiations.

Expanding on the idea, Graves added: “Every Test match would start on a Thursday, with Thursday and Friday being corporate days and then Saturday and Sunday the family days.

“From a cost point of view, you’d lose that fifth day, which would save a hell of a lot of money from the ground’s point of view and the broadcasters. I would look at that.”
http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricke...day-test-matches/story-fndpt0dy-1227287085600
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
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151,149
over rate is already shit and its not gonna get dramatically better

any time lost due to weather and there is no chance, if anything I would prefer 6 days if we are going to persevere with playing on highways
 

JW

Coach
Messages
12,657
Ideas put forward by minnow nations like Ingerlund aren't likely to get much traction.
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,818
I wouldn't mind seeing 105 over 4 day tests (you only lose one session - 30 overs), but it will never ever happen for various reasons:

1) Teams already struggle to get through 90 overs in the allotted time as it is.

2) That 5th day is important for the BCCI, who get paid (via advertising) on a daily basis, hence why the explosion of flat tracks in India over the past decade after that Mumbai test in 2004 - to ensure tests go the full 5 days. Cutting tests to 4 days = less revenue for BCCI, which they won't agree to.

3) Geographically, daylight hours aren't long enough in most test venues around the world to get 105 overs in a day.

Only those places that are around at least 40 degrees from the equator - England, NZ and parts of Australia with daylight savings, and earlier sunrises and later sunsets - would have enough adequate, quality daylight to have the playing times according to the specifics of the ECB. If you get any inclement weather, there's absolutely no chance of making that time up at the end of the day due to fading/bad light.

2hr sessions will have to be extended to at least 2 1/2hr sessions (and even then, with all the stoppages that happen in cricket these days like drinks breaks, change in equipment, it will still be pushing it to get 105 overs in). So, the 7-7 1/2 hours in a day of test cricket which currently occurs (3 x 2hr sessions + 40 min lunch break + 20 min tea break + additional 30 mins after scheduled stumps to make up the over rate) will have to be extended to 8 1/2-9 hrs (3 x 2 1/2hr sessions + 40 min lunch break + 20 min tea break + additional 30 mins after scheduled stumps to make up over rate). If 10:30am is the scheduled start of play, stumps as late as 7:30pm is way too late at nearly every Australian venue. Even at the MCG Boxing Day test with sunset in Melbourne at around 8:45pm, since the redevelopment in 2006 with the increased capacity and roof being fully extended around the top grandstand of the stadium, the playing surface is already completely covered in shadow by around 6:30pm. Hobart would probably be the only venue that you could regularly play cricket with a red ball until 7:30pm as not only sunset close to 9pm, but it doesn't have a large roof around the ground, high above the playing surface subtending shadows earlier in play like the MCG or Adelaide Oval.

And then you get to places in the sub-continent like India where scheduled stumps for test matches is at about 4:30pm (4pm in Kolkata, where sunset is earlier).....good luck with trying to start a test match there before 8am. I remember in 2009 when Australia played a bilateral ODI series in India, and the match in Guwahati which started at 8:30am was enough trouble as it was due to the dew on the ground.

In conclusion, Day/night test matches over 5 days are a more realistic proposition of occuring than 105 over 4 day tests
 
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Messages
4,604
Who the f**k would want to stand in the field for 105 overs in a day.
Stupid idea.
Poms come up with cricket ideas about as well as they play it these days.
 

Haffa

Guest
Messages
15,997
Dont produce flat batting tracks and the games would see more results.

105 overs per day is not really achievable in the sub continent because their days are shorter in comparison to everywhere else. Plus the speed they get through their overs would mean captains are never getting through that many in a day.
 

TheParraboy

Moderator
Staff member
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66,324
I don't like it

There are some things that just need to remain the same (or preserved). Tinker and change t20 all you like

Over rate issues, flat decks, no results, have been part of test cricket for a couple of decades at least now. I am cynical enough to think this is a ploy to add more t20 shit to the calendar rather than a genuine attempt to improve test cricket.

If they did manage to implement 4 day tests, and a nation plays 10 tests in the year, that's 10 days (or two tests) that is spare. Do you think the bigwigs will use this extra time to promote a couple of minnows into test status to play against the established nations? lol
 

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,339
Well tinkering and tweaking the ODI achieved a big fat zero, in fact it was detrimental to a format of cricket that was working perfectly fine. If anything it made it worse because teams now stall in the first 30 overs and then are allowed to go for an onslaught so ridiculous that 400 is always on the cards.

Now these fidgety bastards are desperate to mess around with tests with these ridiculous proposals.
What's wrong with the standard five days? Who the hell wants to see test cricket under lights?

The game doesn't need 'fixing', stop f-cking around
 

Twizzle

Administrator
Staff member
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151,149
That article is being slated deluxe on Bookface, poms cant play for more than 4 days seems to be No 1 response around the world.
 

vvvrulz

Coach
Messages
13,339
That article is being slated deluxe on Bookface, poms cant play for more than 4 days seems to be No 1 response around the world.

You know what will get these guys to shut up and go back to being humble and playing with humility, a few more years of heavy beatings including NZ and the next Ashes.

Then all the noise coming from up there will die down.

Funny thing is based on social media, the fans don't really carry on that much and are pretty aware that English cricket isn't very good. It's mostly the obnoxious 'celebs' like Swann, Trott etc.
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,818
You know what will get these guys to shut up and go back to being humble and playing with humility, a few more years of heavy beatings including NZ and the next Ashes.

Bring back the '90s!:lol:

Those were good times being an Aussie supporter every time an Ashes series was coming up.
 

SpaceMonkey

Immortal
Messages
38,158
I see some limited potential for this, but I'd stress limited.
1: I'd restrict 4 day tests to England and NZ, and possibly SA and Southern Aus. The subcontinent and the West Indies simply don't get the daylight for it and an extra 15 overs in the heat would not be good. Brisbane and Perth are out for the same reasons. Hobart would be fine, but Sydney and Nelbourne are borderline.
2: if a 4 day test is scheduled, the 5th day could still be reserved to make up any overs lost to weather. This would be useful in England and NZwhere inclement weather is more common.
 
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