Cricket must be flexible to the idea of four-day Tests, says Kevin Roberts

England are scheduled to host Ireland next year in a four-day Test at Lord's.

Australia can host Afghanistan for a 4-day Test in 2020 | Getty

Newly appointed Cricket Australia(CA) chief Kevin Roberts has said that cricket must be flexible and adaptive with the change in times by being open to the idea of four-day Tests across the world.

Roberts feels that with the game's traditional format under threat, the administrators around the world must do all they can to keep it relevant.

England are scheduled to play Ireland in a four-day encounter at Lord's next year and it is expected that Afghanistan's historic sojourn down under for the very first time in a Test during 2020 summer will also be marked by a 12-session long game.

The intent is to kickstart games on a Thursday giving the proceedings a blockbuster climax on a Sunday, when the TV ratings are their strongest.

"There is a bit to be said about that and we need to be open minded to it down the track. The average duration of a Test is just over four days. Certainly, without jumping to conclusions that that is the right solution, it is one possibility that we have got to be open to," Roberts said, as CA confirmed it has no immediate plans to go down that route but the governing body is pretty open about things.

"We know that there have been timeless Tests over the years. There have even been three-day Tests, so Test cricket has not been five days in duration forever."

"I think the concept of four days going forward is something we need to be open to without jumping to conclusions," he added.

South Africa also hosted Zimbabwe for a four-day game that eventually lasted just half of its duration, with the hosts crushing down their neighbours within six sessions at Port Elizabeth.

The International Cricket Council(ICC) approved the idea a while back.

(Inputs from Sydney Morning Herald)

 
 

By Kashish Chadha - 15 Dec, 2018

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