It's not the length of the Test, it's what you do with it.

[Durhamfootman]

My sympathy with the players if this ever happens . It is a tough job already , International Cricket : now the unfortunate fellows who find themselves bowling on a flat pitch to a good batting lineup are facing eight hours ( with delays) in the field ...and maybe supposed to come back next morning and continue...

Way to kill off pace bowling.

not much pace bowling left any more. Chief exec featherbed pitches have already killed that art off barring the occasional tash fuelled abberation.... and that didn't last for long

[Durhamfootman]

minister for sport and women's issues, apparently

[Arthur Crabtree]

Agree with Aidan that 7.5 hour day is already a long one. I wonder if extending it might mean the experience of Test cricket becomes even more intimidating for many.

The five day Test has a long history and it works. Is there another sport with such a rich tradition that is so careless in preserving it? The game's continuity is one of its strengths.

I might wonder if the national and international cricket boards are actually trying to devise ways of alienating me from the game. It so much seems like that.

Don't worry Arthur. As I understand it, Labour are planning to announce at conference a return to timeless tests, once they get back into power ;)

fully costed, apparently :halo:

Fine as long as they don't bring back Geoff Boycott.

[Durhamfootman]

something weird happened there

[Durhamfootman]

perhaps I've suddenly become Nostradamus

[Arthur Crabtree]

Fans of continuity might want to swap over my and Durham's last posts.

[mikesiva]

South africa play Zimbabwe in a four day test match starting on boxing day.

This might not be necessary in England where tests are usually sold out. But in countries where three men and a dog turn up this might work.

[Slipstream]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2017 ... day-tests/

[Aidan11]

There's all this talk about SA v Zimbabwe becoming the first official 4 day test but it's hardly a gamble.

Zimbabwe tend to struggle past three days never mind four.

[mikesiva]

Michael Vaughan:

"I like the idea of trialling four-day cricket and I have no doubt in the future the [Test] league will be based on four days. The average Test match lasts for 331 overs. Yes, we still have great fifth days. We have had drama on the last day in recent years, particularly at Headingley this summer when West Indies beat England, but the majority of matches finish inside four days. Teams will have to play four-day cricket a bit differently. They might have to declare and set a game up if it rains. You do that in four-day first-class cricket already. I can understand those that say Test cricket is the greatest format because it is the only level of the game when you play over five days. It requires different skills but the bigger picture is scheduling and the amount of money lost on the fifth day when grounds are empty. The powers that be keep telling me that they lose money on the last day. Make that public then people might understand a little bit more."

http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... st-cricket

Dean Elgar:

"If you play in Australia, if you play in England, even if you play in South Africa against the relatively big nations you still get very good crowds."

I think that's the issue. Test cricket only draws good crowds in the Ashes countries, and only occasionally in South Africa and India when big teams play. There's a strong case for all other Tests, which have small crowds, to be played over four days.

[Alviro Patterson]

Anyone who follows or even attends County Championship matches will know the drawbacks of 4 day cricket.

Extending play won't necessarily draw crowds in, whenever a day of CC cricket is likely to finish at 6.45pm folk tend to leave around tea time. If a match is a near certain draw before Day 4 begins or the home side are one session away from defeat, fans will stay away. Host grounds might save £50k on eliminating Day 5, but risk losing revenue on Day 4.

With test cricket now having a Championship of it's own, teams are more likely to be content in playing for a draw if it's achievable. You only need to look at how many County Championship matches end in a draw.