The Problem: Test match audiences are in terminal decline, as is the quality of test match cricket.
The Solution: 3-day Tests which combine classic cricket with modern-day action.
As a passionate cricket fan, the ongoing decline of Test match cricket is a cause of great sadness; not only are audiences abandoning the game in their droves, the quality of cricket has plummeted over the past decade.
A big change is needed, one which maintains the key elements of test match cricket – the longest and most challenging form of the game, the best team coming out on top, wickets not run rates counting the most, and all four results are possible – but which brings the excitement of T20 cricket into the test match arena.
My proposed solution is 3-day Test matches.
Each day would have a guaranteed 100 overs, with no overs lost for a change of innings, and there would be a rain day to move play onto if any of the three days was washed out.
Each team would have a maximum of 100 overs for their first innings, and the team batting last would have to be given a minimum of five overs to chase down a total (as well as a scale of overs to chase against runs required, for example a minimum 10 overs to chase 120, 20 overs to chase 200, etc).
The 100-over first innings would require classic, quality test match cricket – batters digging in and building an innings, and bowlers taking wickets and applying pressure, while also preventing games becoming too boring through long periods of low scoring or overly long innings and massive totals that make the game a forgone conclusion after the first innings.
The reduction in length means all games could be played on a Friday-Sunday, maximising audience turnout and having the final, most exciting day on a weekend so everyone could watch.
Players would have less strain on their bodies due to the shortened length, encouraging more to continue their test careers for longer as the risk of injury would reduce and more money could be earned in less time. Similarly, teams could be encouraged to play more test cricket as television fees would increase but demand only 3 days of cricket, not 5.
The key advantage of T20 cricket which makes it so exciting is that the game is rarely won or lost until the last over, maintaining excitement throughout.
3-day tests would combine the best of classic test matches with one-day cricket, creating ongoing excitement – because draws would be possible, even if a team was behind the runs a long way, they could still hold on. Seeing 10 fielders huddled round the bat desperately trying to take wickets before the end of the day creates huge excitement; 3 day cricket would provide that, as well as one-day style run-chases on the final day for teams more equally matched.
Even just writing this piece has got me excited, let’s hope one-day we all get to experience the real-life excitement of 3-day test matches!
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