New Zealand v England in Auckland & Christchurch

[dincey99]

Good effort by England today but like all winter have failed to take 20 wickets in a match and ultimately come up SHORT again.




Another CB9 postcode

[nutsaboutamber]

Yep, would a win to tie the series have papered over the cracks? And a series involving TWO tests. What's all that about? Good to see the Aussies pummelled in to submission.

[Mark Peters’ Bonce of Power]

Not sure what to make if this new 'the 100' competition being proposed. Aside from thinking that we simply don't need another format, it seems especially pointless given that it's essentially going to be 3 and a bit overs shy of a T20. At least the difference between a T20 and an ODI is significant enough to give both formats something of a distinctive feel about them.

If this is happening because attention spans no longer even hold for a T20, it's time for Cricket to give up and go home.

[nutsaboutamber]

Apr 28, 2018 14:35:13 GMT Mark Peters’ Bonce of Power said:

Not sure what to make if this new 'the 100' competition being proposed. Aside from thinking that we simply don't need another format, it seems especially pointless given that it's essentially going to be 3 and a bit overs shy of a T20. At least the difference between a T20 and an ODI is significant enough to give both formats something of a distinctive feel about them.

If this is happening because attention spans no longer even hold for a T20, it's time for Cricket to give up and go home.

Part of me wants to die before I get to 70(I'm 53) because I don't want to exist in a world without test cricket!

[Mark Peters’ Bonce of Power]

Neither do I and I’m only 28. Bugger.

[SFCU]

No point in it all.
If they want something different play
12 -8 ball overs at least every player bowls the same number of balls.

Whats going on at Chelmsford today?
Thats not cricket!

[danielcufc]

May 4, 2018 16:51:47 GMT SFCU said:

No point in it all.
If they want something different play
12 -8 ball overs at least every player bowls the same number of balls.

Whats going on at Chelmsford today?
Thats not cricket!

Most of England's top 5 out for nothing today - bodes well for the Pakistan series !

[SFCU]

May 4, 2018 17:54:09 GMT danielcufc said:

May 4, 2018 16:51:47 GMT SFCU said:

No point in it all.
If they want something different play
12 -8 ball overs at least every player bowls the same number of balls.

Whats going on at Chelmsford today?
Thats not cricket!

Most of England's top 5 out for nothing today - bodes well for the Pakistan series !

Perfect preparation playing on crap pitches. Chelmsford used to be a good batters surface.

[nutsaboutamber]

To be fair it sounds more like a lack of preparation on all the batsmen’s parts, a la Yorkshire’s second innings score!

[SFCU]

You could be right there Nuts.
But most still play in one day cricket mode.
Sadley i do think test cricket is on a downward slide.

[Mark Peters’ Bonce of Power]

So what would people do to revive interest in the test game? Is it even possible? I must admit I’m stumped, but I’ve a real passion for it and feel it should be preserved if at all possible.

Obviously you don’t want to go messing around with what makes a test match a test match, but short of forcing people to watch clockwork orange style, I’ve really no bloody idea how to get the crowds back.

[imp566]

Having it back on terrestrial TV would be a start. When Sky took control of it and denied the majority from watching was when the rot set in. Watching it on BBC was what got me hooked as a boy, some great memories that still linger in my memory. Botham's match at Headingley, Sir Geoffrey's 100th 100 at the same ground, Shane Warne bursting on to the scene and totally bamboozling Mike Gatting with a fizzer from way outside leg stump; all great memories that brought test match cricket to life.

It's a shame that many children of today don't have the same opportunity.

[nutsaboutamber]

It’s a good point and would be a good start but I suspect as likely as the BBC getting the Premier League back. Some might say that 1992 heralded the start of what we now know as “ modern football is rubbish”. And the demise of such things as the FA Cup. Mind you I was moaning about the playoff system a long while before that!

[jolly]

May 5, 2018 8:00:38 GMT Mark Peters’ Bonce of Power said:

So what would people do to revive interest in the test game? Is it even possible? I must admit I’m stumped, but I’ve a real passion for it and feel it should be preserved if at all possible.

Obviously you don’t want to go messing around with what makes a test match a test match, but short of forcing people to watch clockwork orange style, I’ve really no bloody idea how to get the crowds back.

I think the ICC are part of the way there by trying to create something other than bilateral series (which when you’re from NZ equates to 2 tests), but I don’t think that this test championship does it. I expect the format will become confusing and fans will miss having proper test series. 

My solution is a test cricket World Cup, which is actually much more manageable than it sounds. 
The format would be 8 teams divided into 2 groups of 4, and in pool play each team plays each team in their group once.
Semifinals between the winner of one pool with the runner up of the other pool, where the group winner only requires a draw to progress. 
The final would be a timeless test, which would ensure a result and be a truly fascinating match. 

The whole tournament would take around 41 days, which is similar to the one day world cups which seem to go forever. If it was decided this was too long, then I guess pool matches could be played over 4 days (which also means that group matches can all run Thursday-Sun for attendence reasons) taking the whole tournament to ~36 days. 

A host nation would ideally have 8 venues, although less could work if the groundsmen could have the ground ready again in a few days (probably fine with drop in pitches). 

Qualifiers will give meaningful matches to countries, and then there will be a major prize to build up to.