Magazine - Future of Test cricket hangs in the balance, warns Imran Khan

SEARCH


See all:
Authors - Dates - Categories - Online Back Issues

POPULAR ARTICLES
NEWS ALERTS
Want to get news alerts delivered direct to your inbox? Edit your email preferences.
RECENT COMMENTS

Going Dutch on Weed Control!
3 hours ago by: andy dixon

"What is the point when 97% of herbicides are used by private ..."

Build it and they will come... a report on the Isle of Man's first seminar for the industry
19 hours ago by: petermarkcraig

"Thank you for those very kind words Mike. I genuinely felt t ..."

Will it take hose pipe bans and Drought Orders to see legislative compliance?
2 days ago by: vid

"Hi Dave, this may be of help to well financed or municipal s ..."

Build it and they will come... a report on the Isle of Man's first seminar for the industry
4 days ago by: Pitchcare Peter

"Who's a fantastic tool? 'Genius' might be slightly overst ..."

Build it and they will come... a report on the Isle of Man's first seminar for the industry
4 days ago by: Cranfield

"A fantastic tool for promoting our wonderful industry and th ..."

By in Cricket on 20th Jul 2010 8:00

Imran Khan on Monday launched a passionate defence of Test cricket and warned it "could die" as a sporting force if it is not protected from the advance of Twenty20.

Imran used the MCC's annual Cowdrey Lecture at Lord's to warn the game's administrators that unless they radically restructure international cricket the best players will retire to earn vast sums playing in tournaments such as the Indian Premier League.

Dire forecasts about the future of Test cricket have been a regular theme for former players over the past three years but Imran is the most high-profile figure to add his weight to an issue that will shape cricket for the next generation.

He was speaking just days after Shahid Afridi resigned as the captain of Pakistan, a team Imran led in 48 Tests, to concentrate on his one-day career. Shaun Tait, the Australian fast bowler, has been arguably the summer's most exciting player but he too refuses to put his body through the exertions of five-day cricket. Understandable perhaps after he signed a $375,000 deal to play in the IPL for the Rajasthan Royals.

Imran's solution is to abandon the 50-over format to free up time in the calendar for more Test cricket. But, as usual, one barrier prevents that from happening - money. England's five-match series against the Australians was a huge success at the box office and while Test cricket remains popular in England, in other parts of the world it attracts crowds akin to County Championship matches.

See the rest of the article on the following link:-The Telegraph

Read more articles in Cricket, by Press Release or from July 2010.



There are 3 comments on this article

20 Jul 2010 by jlawrence

From the advance of Twenty20 - oh he means that evening league crap that we've been playing from before I'd even heard of cricket.
Twenty20 isn't a new thing.
Test matches are still well supported so how exactly are they dying ?

Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.

21 Jul 2010 by Philmort

Twenty 20 is new at international level. The problem seems to lie in the ever decreasing concentration span of the youngsters and others with disposable income the authorities want to attract.
If you read the Telegraph it points out that only in England and Australia do Test grounds still sell out. The crowds for WI v SA recently are described as 'pitiful' and even in Asia the crowds are flocking to the one dayers but not the tests.

Proud to serve grassroots cricket

21 Jul 2010 by jlawrence

It's not just the decreasing concentration span, nor the disposable income issue. I (and I'm sure many others) have enough money to go and watch a test match now and then. What I don't have is the available time to take a few days out to go and watch it. Test match cricket takes a lot of time - just watching one day isn't really the way to watch a test - and people simply no longer have the spare time available to devote to watching test cricket.
IMO, it is still by far the best format of the game.

Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.

Want to post a comment in response to this article?

Login now, or register if you are not a Pitchcare member.

©2012 Pitchcare : 01952 897910 | Served by: Prospero | Contact Us | Advertise With Us | Terms & Conditions Of Use | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions of Sale
Home - Magazine - Shop - Training - Jobs - Used Machinery - Buyer's Guide - Message Boards - UK Weather - International - GreenFields Artificial Turf - Sport Construction