Making Tests more exciting

[formula1man]

i already think tests are exciting and are my favourite form of cricket, but if ppl are genuinely scared T20 will take over, i suggest some possible ways of improving it.
1. Free hit rule in tests
2. Shorten Tests to 4 days to enchorage faster scoring
3. day night Tests
4. eliminate draws by making a duckworth lewis type of thing to determine a winner, so its exciting right to the end.
5. fielding restrictions of some sort.
i love tests but just some ideas

 

[karnog]

I could see fielding restrictions (say first ten overs of each innings) and day night tests (if the light is improved or they can around the red ball problem). Not sure if the other ideas might ever take off. I love tests as well and don't want to change it. I guess they if there's a draw then they could have a bowl out... lol

 

[manee]

Test cricket is the traditional form of the game and so many purists may turn off the game if Test cricket becomes a more commercialist run fest like limited overs cricket.

1. Free hit rule in tests

Would totally cheapen the intense atmosphere of building an innings in Test cricket.

2. Shorten Tests to 4 days to enchorage faster scoring

Absolutely not! Test cricket is five days and there is no reason to change it. We do not want batsman throwing their wicket away in Test cricket to score quickly in anything but the final two innings and even so, that it still rare. Getting a Test wicket is supposed to be a struggle of bowler against batsman, and so run rates should not even come into the equation if a batsman has to risk his wicket to increase it.

3. day night Tests

Possibly, but may be nightmarish for TV companies and the factor of light would, again, cheapen the Test wicket and make the game unfair based on the obscure factor of batting under lights.

4. eliminate draws by making a duckworth lewis type of thing to determine a winner, so its exciting right to the end.

No! A draw in Test cricket is an exciting aspect and means that teams have to work for the entire game to bowl the opposition out twice - it is a true test of mental strength and physical endurance. A far better way to eliminate dead fourth and fifth days is to create more sporting wickets

5. fielding restrictions of some sort.

 

[King Pietersen]

Completely agree with Manee. I just have an extra point to add about Day-Night tests aswell, it's hard enough picking up the red ball in good light, let alone under flood lights, the game would have to change to coloured clothing and a white ball to make test cricket playable at night, just wouldn't work in the current format. 5 ludicrous ideas that would completely ruin test cricket. It's ideas like this that make me dispise Twenty20, the game is entertaining and everything, but if it's going to have an adverse effect on the Test Match and ODi arena's i'm not interested.

 

[Cricketman]

Please.
Do not.
Touch.
Test.
Cricket.

Its the pinnacle of the game, its awesome the way it is. I would rather everyone would stop changing every rule in every form of the game as it is getting very annoying. It is almost as if cricket is a different sport then what it was a few decades ago, OD cricket at least.

 

[.::Stevo::.]

Allow streakers.

And beach balls dammit!!! I seriously don't get why the crowd isn't allowed beach balls. They've even banned the mexican wave now, not that its working.

 

[Cricketman]

They banned the mexican wave !

I think beachballs distract the batsman maybe?

 

[.::Stevo::.]

They banned the mexican wave !

I think beachballs distract the batsman maybe?

Yep. And the mexican wave at the MCG is like the greatest thing. Looks so good, but they cant stop 90,000 people doing it, so it still happens

 

[FreddieFan]

The only thing you need for an exciting test match is two good teams and a pitch that has something in it for both batsman and bowlers throughout the whole 5 days.

I don't like the thought of a free hit rule in tests. If a bowler is bowling well and tightly, creating pressure on the batsman, and happens to bowl a no-ball. As it stands, this is not a problem - a no ball can still be a tight ball, and pressure is maintained on the batsman. With a free hit, the next ball the batsman takes a huge slog at, probably gets a boundary, and all the pressure is gone. There are those who think cricket is already a batsman's game; this would only make matters worse.

I think your second and fourth are conflicting. Having 4 day tests would increase the number of draws, which I don't think is good for cricket. Some draws, in which it goes down to the wire as the fielding team searches desperately for the last wicket, can be hugely exciting. The draws which are boring are the ones that it is obvious well before the conclusion of the match, and 4 day tests would increase the number of these.

The removal of the possibility of draws from tests is, frankly, ridiculous. For a start, Duckworth Lewis (while I am a fan of it) can be contraversial and this would not help in tests. Secondly, it is a system designed for limited overs games and therefore places great emphasis on rn rate and wickets in hand, neither of which are anywhere near as important. What is much more important in tests than one dayers is which wickets are in hand - in a ODI, even if you have Pietersen in with the tail, he probably only has 15 or 20 overs to bat; in tests he can bat all day. I think test cricket would be far too complex to develop an alternative system for, and anyway the removal of draws commits a cirdinal sin IMO - it allows tests to be won by teams incapable of taking 20 opposition wickets.

Don't really see the point of day night tests. The difference in light between day and night would be likely to disadvantage teams in one way or another. A more sensible suggestion would be the use of floodlights at the end of a days play if bad light is preventing play, but this would be dependant on acceptable performance between the red ball and floodlights, which I am not sure about.

There are already fielding restrictions in place in tests; to prevent bodyline bowling. I can't think of any other useful restrictions that could be introduced but if you could suggest some specific examples and reasons for them I'd be happy to comment.

 

[evertonfan]

Daft. Test cricket is fine the way it is. It offers 100% more excitement than the sheer boredom I was put through when watching the IPL.

 

[formula1man]

i agree with all of youse, Test cricket is the pinnacle and my favourite form of cricket I said that already if you read it.
im just saying if test cricket needed innovations to survive which i want it to, than these are some ideas i came up with.
I live in australia and only have free to air. I would of much preferred network 10 to purchase Australia's tour of the West Indies than the IPL

 

[TruSachFan]

test cricket is perfect. The only changes u need are improving the standard of umpiring,and better quality pitches (especially in the subcontinent) to get results.

 

[shravi]

test cricket is perfect. The only changes u need are improving the standard of umpiring,and better quality pitches (especially in the subcontinent) to get results.

Exactly. Pitch curators must look to provide an even contest between bat and ball in order for test matches to be exciting. There should be a larger gap between the maximum and minimum scores, I feel.

 

[SciD]

Play till you get result. I can expect some matches in India to be 20 days long.

 

[angryangy]

Cricket Australia wants day/night Tests, probably for one match per home series. The mitigating factor is of course in the details. If the ball problem is ever worked out, you can bet that they will push for it.