New CA chief open to four-day Tests

Published December 17, 2018
South Africa played Zimbabwe in the inaugural four-day Test last December in Port Elizabeth, winning inside two. — File
South Africa played Zimbabwe in the inaugural four-day Test last December in Port Elizabeth, winning inside two. — File

PERTH: Cricket Australia (CA)’s new cricket chief Kevin Roberts has said he is open to the idea of trialling four-day Test matches to boost waning popularity of the red ball game.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) approved the experimental concept last year in a bid to ensure the future viability of Tests in the face of an explosion in the fast-paced Twenty20 format.

South Africa played Zimbabwe in the inaugural four-day Test last December in Port Elizabeth, winning inside two.

A minimum 98 overs had to be bowled each day, as opposed to the regulation 90 in a five-day game.

Another match is scheduled for July next year when England take on Ireland at Lord’s.

“There’s a bit to be said for it,” Roberts, the CA chief executive, told commercial sports radio station SEN late on Saturday. “It’s certainly something we need to be open minded to down the track.”

Roberts assumed the reins at CA in October from James Sutherland, who stood down after 17 years in the wake of the ball-tampering scandal in South Africa.

He pointed out that the average duration of a Test match ‘is a shade over four days’.

“We know there’s been timeless Tests over the years, we know there were even three-day Tests. So Test cricket hasn’t been five days in duration forever,” he said. “And I think the concept of four days going forward is something we need to be open to, without jumping to conclusions.”

Former England captain Michael Vaughan has been a long-time advocate of trialling shorter matches to try and rejuvenate Test cricket.

“Test match cricket has been on the decline for many years, that’s been a worldwide problem, although not particularly in the UK, but give it a try and see how it goes,” he said earlier this year. “People said day-night Tests would be ridiculous, that they would finish in two days, but they’ve been a great spectacle and worked in the right parts of the world.”

Australia have been at the forefront of playing Test matches under lights, hailing them as a great success. They hosted the first ever, against New Zealand in 2015, and have won all four they have played.

Published in Dawn, December 17th, 2018

Opinion

Editorial

Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...
New terror wave
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

New terror wave

The time has come for decisive government action against militancy.
Development costs
27 Mar, 2024

Development costs

A HEFTY escalation of 30pc in the cost of ongoing federal development schemes is one of the many decisions where the...
Aitchison controversy
Updated 27 Mar, 2024

Aitchison controversy

It is hoped that higher authorities realise that politics and nepotism have no place in schools.