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Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves goes to bat for four-day Tests Incoming ECB chairman Colin Graves goes to bat for four-day Tests
(about 2 hours later)
The incoming England & Wales Cricket Board chairman, Colin Graves, has confirmed he will push for the introduction of four-day Test matches in a bid to reverse dwindling global interest in the format.The incoming England & Wales Cricket Board chairman, Colin Graves, has confirmed he will push for the introduction of four-day Test matches in a bid to reverse dwindling global interest in the format.
While attendances in England will inevitably be strong during this Ashes summer, there are growing fears that less attractive opposition might fail to pull in the crowds. It follows a worldwide trend that has seen audiences for Test cricket lag behind the 20- and 50-over forms of the game.While attendances in England will inevitably be strong during this Ashes summer, there are growing fears that less attractive opposition might fail to pull in the crowds. It follows a worldwide trend that has seen audiences for Test cricket lag behind the 20- and 50-over forms of the game.
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Graves was the chairman at Yorkshire when their 17,000-capacity Headingley ground averaged just 7,700 spectators per day during the second Test against Sri Lanka last summer – a thriller which saw the visitors complete a 100-run victory with the penultimate ball of the match.Graves was the chairman at Yorkshire when their 17,000-capacity Headingley ground averaged just 7,700 spectators per day during the second Test against Sri Lanka last summer – a thriller which saw the visitors complete a 100-run victory with the penultimate ball of the match.
But the millionaire founder of the Costcutter supermarket chain, who officially begins his five-year ECB tenure on 15 May, believes a more concentrated game, with 105 overs crammed in per day, could be the answer.But the millionaire founder of the Costcutter supermarket chain, who officially begins his five-year ECB tenure on 15 May, believes a more concentrated game, with 105 overs crammed in per day, could be the answer.
“You can’t continue to leave Test cricket as it is,” Graves told the MCC website, lords.org. “If you look at it worldwide, Test cricket is shrinking in the number of people who are watching it on TV and in the grounds. Somehow, somewhere, there is a way to improve Test cricket. It’s the bastion, but we’ve got to modernise it. We’ve got to jazz it up.“You can’t continue to leave Test cricket as it is,” Graves told the MCC website, lords.org. “If you look at it worldwide, Test cricket is shrinking in the number of people who are watching it on TV and in the grounds. Somehow, somewhere, there is a way to improve Test cricket. It’s the bastion, but we’ve got to modernise it. We’ve got to jazz it up.
“I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day starting at 10.30am in the morning, with the ground drainage you’ve got now, and finish when you finish, as all the grounds now have lights.“I think we should look at four-day Test cricket and play 105 overs a day starting at 10.30am in the morning, with the ground drainage you’ve got now, and finish when you finish, as all the grounds now have lights.
“Every Test match would start on a Thursday, so you have two days for corporates, and two days for families. From a cost point of view you’d save that fifth day, which would save a hell of a lot of money from the ground’s point of view and the broadcasters.“Every Test match would start on a Thursday, so you have two days for corporates, and two days for families. From a cost point of view you’d save that fifth day, which would save a hell of a lot of money from the ground’s point of view and the broadcasters.
“In reality, there’s not many people who turn up and watch it on the fifth day.”“In reality, there’s not many people who turn up and watch it on the fifth day.”
The idea of four-day Test cricket was first floated when a document entitled Strategy Conversation Summary, drawn up by the new ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, was leaked into the public domain five weeks ago. While most proposals mentioned were fanciful – it was a simple brain-storming exercise – it is now clear that the idea of four-day Test cricket will be pushed further.The idea of four-day Test cricket was first floated when a document entitled Strategy Conversation Summary, drawn up by the new ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, was leaked into the public domain five weeks ago. While most proposals mentioned were fanciful – it was a simple brain-storming exercise – it is now clear that the idea of four-day Test cricket will be pushed further.
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The concept of shortening Tests will divide opinion but it is not the first time that Graves has caused a stir since he was elected, unopposed, to replace the current ECB chairman Giles Clarke back in February.The concept of shortening Tests will divide opinion but it is not the first time that Graves has caused a stir since he was elected, unopposed, to replace the current ECB chairman Giles Clarke back in February.
A radio interview given on 1 March kick-started a chain of events that now sees Kevin Pietersen back playing county cricket at Surrey, 14 months after his central contract was cancelled, in a bid to make the unlikeliest of international comebacks.A radio interview given on 1 March kick-started a chain of events that now sees Kevin Pietersen back playing county cricket at Surrey, 14 months after his central contract was cancelled, in a bid to make the unlikeliest of international comebacks.
Last week the 67-year-old made it clear to the England team management that anything but victory in the upcoming three-Test tour to the Caribbean would be seen as a failure. “I am pretty sure the West Indies are going to have a mediocre team,” he told BBC Radio Leeds. “If we don’t win, there will be some inquiries of why we haven’t.”Last week the 67-year-old made it clear to the England team management that anything but victory in the upcoming three-Test tour to the Caribbean would be seen as a failure. “I am pretty sure the West Indies are going to have a mediocre team,” he told BBC Radio Leeds. “If we don’t win, there will be some inquiries of why we haven’t.”