Test Cricket "murdered" !

[Hrithik]

With the power that is the ICC, it is hard to believe that a governing body of such a sublime sport is unable to resurrect test cricket back to its former glory. The players say it is the curators preparing one sided pitches, the curators are saying it is the players unable to utilize pitches, I say it is in the hands of the powers that be, the ICC. It seems like a ploy or even a conspiracy to kill test cricket. Why you may ask? Money hungry boards and governing bodies are blinded by the success of 2020, why waste money on hosting and marketing test cricket with minimum returns when a 2020 tournament can bring the kind of cash never seen before in cricket. The people in charge are businessmen and not true cricket lovers, much like the underhand politics of world governments, the same game is being played by the ICC. They don’t care about the people, they care only for themselves.

If test cricket was the main concern for these people, with all the technological marvels the world has been able to achieve in the last century, surely they can bring in lively pitches even to the now tarnished stadium in Sinhalese. With the kind of money being generated these days, can it really be that difficult to bring in drop in pitches from Australia, England or South Africa? If drug lords can grow weed in warehouses using special lights and temperature control to get the room atmosphere to match that of countries where it is naturally grown, can a similar approach be looked into? The ICC must proactively search for a solution. In formula 1, the rules were recently changed, all the teams were spending millions of pounds on reconfiguring the cars in order to match race rules, does the ICC need to have a similar approach by passing laws on boards to prepare better pitches and to promote test cricket? Yes some national boards are not in a state to fund for such a venture, but the ICC and two or three national boards have enough funds available to assist the less fortunate boards.

They have left us test lovers in the dark and forgotten about us, they are now looking for a new target audience, the type who enjoys this 2020 nonsense, who cares about us? The type who enjoys a mental challenge lasting 5 days, where the best of the best use their minds to out think the opponent, in 2020 you will never see a Mohammad Asif set up a batsman for 2 or 3 over’s by persisting with immaculate line and length before sending in the killer ball. You will never see a Mike Hussey rescue in Sydney or experience the little master in his astonishing state of mind: Sachin Tendulker engaged in a test innings, the concentration, the patience, the technique, a clear mind, lighting fast reactions being employed over and over again. What a sight! I don’t even need to mention Ashes 2005, perhaps the greatest test series ever. Let’s see a 2020 tournament match that. Is it even possible?

The ICC has a plan, and they are planning on murdering test cricket. We will not see them stand up and say “ right, here is what we are going to do to bring test cricket back, we have a plan over the next 3 – 5 years to revive test cricket” All we hear about is future 2020 prospects and tournaments. I refuse to believe that nothing can be done to revive test cricket. They want it gone and they are doing everything they can to kill it, which in this case is nothing.

[One World]

2-tier is the answer, come vote in my poll at International section.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by One World
2-tier is the answer, come vote in my poll at International section.

1) 2-tier per se is not the answer

and

2) a veritable 2-tier system has been in place for the past 4-5 years



i firmly believe that more countries need to be playing more tests. if this means "cheapening" test cricket, so be it. cricket has to realize that its not football and that there aren't 10-20 teams who can all aspire to be world champions, or say that they were one time champs.

furthermore, the idea of weak teams cheapening the competition is not talked about in other sports, why should cricket be any different?

i think Ireland and Afghanistan should be fast-tracked to Test status no later than 5 years or so from now. ideally, the Irish are ready now - if they get Morgan and others back, and the Afghans are not far behind.

as for the "cheapening effect" of adding two more rank minnows along with Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, West Indies, New Zealand, and possibly Pakistan and Sri Lanka (in away matches)...one of two things needs to happen.

firstly, we can keep the system of bilateral tours, and just let nature do its thing. India, Australia, England, and South Africa will play each other 30 times each decade, and play the handful of matches with the lower ranked 8 sides. this isn't a terrible idea, although the question of dead pitches and dwindling interest will still remain.

secondly, we can forget about the bilateral tours and start a league system, many versions of which have been floated by cricket fans over the past few years.

either way, i care only about whats good for Bangladeshi cricket, and by extension that means cricket as a whole, so long as Bangladesh gets to benefit as well.

I see nothing wrong with playing a couple of series agains the top sides, and spending most of the rest of the time playing the other weaklings of test cricket. as long as we continue improving, we'll be fine. already the recognition of BD moving up is taking place ("pakistan collapse like bangladesh of old").

[Hrithik]

See my thread on this & vote :

http://www.banglacricket.com/alochon...ad.php?t=33582

tell what you think of it

[BANFAN]

Test cricket was always like this, Hritik, I think you are over reacting. There were more boring/one sided pitches in earlier day. May be your 20/20 mind isn't loving test cricket in current form. You can't get your old wife look/feel like a teen ager, no matter how much makeover you do. you must love her for reasons that a teenager doesn't have. I just don't want any tampering with the basics of test cricket. Let the home team chose what pitch they want to face an opponent.

2 Tire is not the answer, 4 day test isn't the answer, Day/Ni could be a partial answer to get the people coming in the evening, wider use of technology could be a partial answer, Best answer is to produce quality players, spectators will automatically come, and T20/ODi is contributing to that largely. You shouldn;t try to make test cricket look like T20. (All IMO) Relax man, it's not a murder, it's just let the Test cricket live like it was, without makeovers.

[shakibrulz]

Originally Posted by BANFAN
Test cricket was always like this, Hritik, I think you are over reacting. There were more boring/one sided pitches in earlier day. May be your 20/20 mind isn't loving test cricket in current form. You can't get your old wife look/feel like a teen ager, no matter how much makeover you do. you must love her for reasons that a teenager doesn't have. I just don't want any tampering with the basics of test cricket. Let the home team chose what pitch they want to face an opponent.

2 Tire is not the answer, 4 day test isn't the answer, Day/Ni could be a partial answer to get the people coming in the evening, wider use of technology could be a partial answer, Best answer is to produce quality players, spectators will automatically come, and T20/ODi is contributing to that largely. You shouldn;t try to make test cricket look like T20. (All IMO) Relax man, it's not a murder, it's just let the Test cricket live like it was, without makeovers.

Spot on.

[meazz1]

Originally Posted by BANFAN
Test cricket was always like this, Hritik, I think you are over reacting. There were more boring/one sided pitches in earlier day. May be your 20/20 mind isn't loving test cricket in current form. You can't get your old wife look/feel like a teen ager, no matter how much makeover you do. you must love her for reasons that a teenager doesn't have. I just don't want any tampering with the basics of test cricket. Let the home team chose what pitch they want to face an opponent.

2 Tire is not the answer, 4 day test isn't the answer, Day/Ni could be a partial answer to get the people coming in the evening, wider use of technology could be a partial answer, Best answer is to produce quality players, spectators will automatically come, and T20/ODi is contributing to that largely. You shouldn;t try to make test cricket look like T20. (All IMO) Relax man, it's not a murder, it's just let the Test cricket live like it was, without makeovers.

Very constructive thoughts. No argument from me.

[Hrithik]

But a well organised Test/FC calender is needed and it should be easy for the viewers to understand the points table, unlike the present one.

The minnows should also be included in the Test sphere through a world test championship.

[lamisa]

i think hritik has been watching the india vs srilanka test series during the entire day!

[Neel Here]

^^ watched the second test and missed the third one !

[Hrithik]

read carefully and fully before replying

Posted via BC Mobile Edition

[Hrithik]

what do you think of my world test championship proposal see my thread on it ?

Posted via BC Mobile Edition

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by Hrithik
what do you think of my world test championship proposal see my thread on it ?

Posted via BC Mobile Edition

if relegation is involved, im not for it. there should only be promotion. relegation should only happen in the rarest and most dire situations.

[MohammedC]

Guys how far is Hemayatpur from Banglacricket.com?

[Habib]

Originally Posted by MohammedC
Guys how far is Hemayatpur from Banglacricket.com?

As far as the gym & his room.

[habfreak]

Originally Posted by Habib
As far as the gym & his room.

I don't understand this unnecessary personal attack.

BC is full of one line posts these days that require little thinking from both the author and the reader. Agree or disagree, Hrithik made a valid point with good supporting arguments and it did not deserve such ridicule. I don't even think you read his entire post. classless!

[wiseshah]

Take away pakistan"s test status

[Habib]

Originally Posted by wiseshah
Take away pakistan"s test status

As much as I would like to say that too wiseshah bro, it's also true that they've beaten Australia not long ago in a test with this inexperienced team which we can only dream of. So your demand is not justified.

[Ajfar]

Originally Posted by wiseshah
Take away pakistan"s test status

oh ya sure make the number 1 bowling side in the world sit out from test cricket

Posted via BC Mobile Edition (iPhone)

[hmmm]

Originally Posted by wiseshah
Take away pakistan"s test status

Bangladesh has better chance of losing it.

[One World]

Good post AF, but here are some bright side for a 2-tier approach.

There are some pros and cons of making Test matches 2-tier.

Pros:
Highly competitive matches among close opponents in strength.
More result-oriented test matches, will increase the interest and pull more spectators
Teams will feel competitive and ready once they reach the upper level
The scheduling would be lot easier when number of matches will increase and still players will have ample time to adjust their work life and rest days
BD has better chance to make it, look at U-19 team, we always win the plate.


Whether it is always debatable but for the sake of Test cricket and to eliminate such threads with keywords like Murder, the build up of longer version as an interesting thing to follow among the new generation of fans something needs to be done and immediate solution is a necessity as a lot of time has already been wasted.

[al Furqaan]

Originally Posted by One World
Good post AF, but here are some bright side for a 2-tier approach.

There are some pros and cons of making Test matches 2-tier.

Pros:
Highly competitive matches among close opponents in strength.
More result-oriented test matches, will increase the interest and pull more spectators
Teams will feel competitive and ready once they reach the upper level
The scheduling would be lot easier when number of matches will increase and still players will have ample time to adjust their work life and rest days
BD has better chance to make it, look at U-19 team, we always win the plate.


Whether it is always debatable but for the sake of Test cricket and to eliminate such threads with keywords like Murder, the build up of longer version as an interesting thing to follow among the new generation of fans something needs to be done and immediate solution is a necessity as a lot of time has already been wasted.

if the 2nd tier has official Test status, sure. if it also means there will be matches between members of different tiers, sure.

otherwise we will get what we are getting now. India refuses to play Pakistan for political reasons. now they can add that pakistan bat worse than minnows. India refuses to host BD or ZIM. WI are minnows too so they won't get to tour anytime soon. fine. that leaves just england, australia, south africa, and NZ and SL to play. when the other countries are busy, u get 15 series of India and SL.

that can't be good for cricket.
otherwise, i think its just a giant step backwards.

[One World]

Originally Posted by al Furqaan
if the 2nd tier has official Test status, sure. if it also means there will be matches between members of different tiers, sure.

otherwise we will get what we are getting now. India refuses to play Pakistan for political reasons. now they can add that pakistan bat worse than minnows. India refuses to host BD or ZIM. WI are minnows too so they won't get to tour anytime soon. fine. that leaves just england, australia, south africa, and NZ and SL to play. when the other countries are busy, u get 15 series of India and SL.

that can't be good for cricket.
otherwise, i think its just a giant step backwards.

It does not make sense if there is a tier without any sort of relegation process. I do not think PAK, WI, NZ or even Lanka will agree on a tier like that. Now if they offer a 8 team tier and fix it this is when we lose like the above scenario. I say 2-tier with 5-6teams in each, and if you see my post all these pros are depending on that one norm. Relegation is a must.

[Hrithik]

Originally Posted by Raynman
Whatever the format of your choosing, the following fact is undeniable:

Test cricket cannot survive purely because of finances without the existance of ODI adn T20. Note that those two weren't created to kill Test cricket but simply evolved because of the dire situation Test cricket is/was financially. So in order to keep Test cricket alive, funding is required and that will come from the limited formats.

Having said that, the decision for ICC is really on whether to keep Test cricket as an 'elite' match for selected nations (which it has been from inception) or one of the tools for global growth. If its the first then initially nothing much will change and eventually the laws of profit will kill Test cricket in WI and then work itself up ZIM, NZ, PAK, BD until Test is nothing more than an annual Ashes campaign.

Growth doesn't make much sense in this format barring the inclusion of IRE and maybe one or two more (KEN, AFG) as countries will most likely not invest in the infrastructure required to play Tests.

The only logical solution I see is to create a championship over a short time period (no more than 4 years) where every team has a fair chance of advancing. Bi lateral series without a purpose shoudl be abolished from the ICC calendar and handled by the boards on their own without disrupting the ICC schedule.

The growth focus should be with T20 via olympics and drawn out qualification zones for the world cup every two years.

I say we should focus entirely on Test cricket at the international level and restrict T20s to WT20 once in 2 years & domestic T20 leagues and get rid of that boring 50 ovs ODIs.This will remove both the overkill and boredom and save the real cricket.What do you say ?

Originally Posted by One World
It does not make sense if there is a tier without any sort of relegation process. I do not think PAK, WI, NZ or even Lanka will agree on a tier like that. Now if they offer a 8 team tier and fix it this is when we lose like the above scenario. I say 2-tier with 5-6teams in each, and if you see my post all these pros are depending on that one norm. Relegation is a must.

12 Teams in the first tier 2 grps of six

Ex :

Gr A
England
Australia
India
Pakistan
Zimbabwe
Canada

Gr B
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
WI
South Africa
Bangladesh
Ireland

Top 2 of each group into semis then finals and

The last team of each group gets relegated and replaced by new team.What do you think ?

[Raynman]

My personal preference:

TEST

1. Give IRE status and maybe one other nation
2. Keep Test cricket restricted after that and abandon the idea of growth of this format
3. Have a championship that spans 2 to 3 years
4. All matches outside of the championship will be at the will of the boards and not an official part of the ICC calendar. They will have to be worked around official ICC and other high profile domestic tournaments
5. A championship will give the format more meaning and a reduction of matches outside the championship will reduce injuries, reduce pointless games and allow the players to earn their money in lucrative tournaments (afterall this is their profession).


ODI

1. Retain the 4 year world cup as the flagship event
2. Keep the 2011 format of 14 teams to QF, SF, F
3. Reduce the tournament length by playing multiple 1st round games on the same day

T20

1. Look for this as growth to Olympics and a 2 year world cup with qualifiations for all except host country
2. 3 zonal tournaments for qualification. Zone containing host gets one reduced slot so host can play as well
3. ZONE ASIA : Ind, Pak, SL, BD, Afg, UAE, China etc. / ZONE North : ENG, WI, IRE, SCO, NED, USA etc. / ZONE SOUTH : AUS, NZ, SA, ZIM, KEN etc.
4. Each zone gets 5 direct qualifiers and the 6th position teams play each other for the final and 16th slot
5. WC is 4 groups of 4 with QF, SF and F