SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

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Kriterion_BD
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by Kriterion_BD »

Yeah Tests are not dying, fan interest is. As a purist, who gives a fuck?

I hope the ICC doesn't give in to this 4-day nonsense and the CSA are forced to add a 5th day. India will be playing an A team for their practice match, no need to play the main XI. Makes no sense whatsoever.

I suspect most countries would oppose this 4 day bullshit. I imagine the CSA, NZ, WI would be the only teams in favor.
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by maehara »

CrimsonAvenger wrote:
Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:14 pm
So, there's breaking news, however bizarre it is!
South Africa to host Zimbabwe for a FOUR-day day-night Test in Port Elizabeth on Boxing Day, though Test status subject to ICC approval
Tristan Holme on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tristanholme/status/
4 days is a first-class practice game, not a Test.

Kriterion_BD
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by Kriterion_BD »

maehara wrote:
Thu Sep 21, 2017 11:50 am
CrimsonAvenger wrote:
Wed Sep 20, 2017 5:14 pm
So, there's breaking news, however bizarre it is!
South Africa to host Zimbabwe for a FOUR-day day-night Test in Port Elizabeth on Boxing Day, though Test status subject to ICC approval
Tristan Holme on Twitter: https://twitter.com/tristanholme/status/
4 days is a first-class practice game, not a Test.
Technicallly practice matches/tour games are usually 3-days if they are officially first-class. The 15 a side nonsense are usually 2-day affairs. FC matches have to be a minimum 3-days. Domestic FC games are usually 4 days, with the final usually being 5-days in order increase chances for a result and outright champion.

IMO a Test match should be 5 days and only 5 days. Once the Test League starts, I think the final of that tournament should be a timeless Test so as to ensure a result regardless of the pitch quality.
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by Jemisi »

Why worry about a 5 day test if you are SA? They ought to beat us in 4 regardless.

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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by jaybro »

Ok two ways to look at this from where Im standing.

1. As a 'Test Purist' the thought of a Test match being played over 4 days instead of 5 makes me feel sick, Test cricket is almost 'Holy' and once we start disrespecting it by changing the basic fundamentals that make it so we will then see the quick decline of Test Cricket and what it stands for.

2. From a Zimbabwe point of view I can see two positives from playing '4 day Tests'. Firstly by the ICC allowing us to play 4 day Tests it will help with Scheduling and may open the doors for more fixtures for Zimbabwe. Saving the extra day could be the difference between playing 1 Test or 2 Tests.

The other advantage to playing 4 Day Tests would be results for Zimbabwe, by playing 4 Day Tests this gives Zimbabwe more chance of drawing Test matches we would likely have lost, We would have drawn our last 4 Test matches if stumps was called on the 4th evening.

In turn sides will likely try to avoid this by preparing more 'sporting pitches' to ensure they can take all 20 Zimbabwean wickets in 4 days, playing on 'sporting decks' will shorten the match and in theory 'the shorter the contest the closer the contest is', thereby providing Zimbabwe a better chance of also winning Test matches. This is proven by results in t20 cricket and ODI cricket, you're more likely to see an associate beat a Test nation in a t20 than an ODI and more likely to see Zimbabwe win an ODI against a side than a Test.

So in summary I feel 4 Day Tests will benefit Zimbabwe ( Ireland & Afghanistan also ) the most but as a Test Purist Im against it.

I will point out there have been 4 day Test Scheduled and played before.
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Kriterion_BD
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by Kriterion_BD »

Tests have ranged from 3-day affairs to timeless tests, but in the modern era (probably from the 1960s or 1970s onwards) Tests have been standardized to 5 days. But in those days they used to get through 120-130 overs per day, not the 90 like modern times (and sometimes its not even the full 90).

The thing is, if you speed up a Test by cutting 20% of it off, is it still a Test? I'm a purist too and I would argue that its not. 20% is a significant chunk and it alters the game substantially. The game has already sped up due to T20 cricket as the average run rate now is 3.2 rpo and 25 years ago it was probably around 2.7 rpo. But that evolution is organic, its not forced or artificial.

The other fear is, this is an attempt to shortchange the smaller sides by giving them a 4 day "Test". I would hate to see Bangladesh tour England but only if they agreed to a 4-day Test.

I hope this is merely a CSA idea and that it gets voted down at the ICC. Its opening a pandora's box when we already have a number of boxes open (eg Pakistan threatening to oppose the new Test league unless India agrees to resume bilateral ties).
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by Jemisi »

Weren't they going to make them 100 over days? That would be 11% shorter not 20%.

But I'm with you on most of that Kriterion

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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by TapsC »

I saw on twitter somebody saying only 58% of tests in the last decade have gone into the fifth day. I'm sure that figure would drop even more if you say how many tests last at least 10 overs after lunch considering that they are supposed to be 100 overs a day if it's 4 days. In reality that means you are only cutting 50 overs out of the test but dramatically increasing the excitement factor.

In the end my concerns are with Zimbabwe. If this format means we can sneak in games against SA and maybe sides touring SA as well then I don't see what's wrong with that. We have only played one "pure" test the whole year! SA giving us a chance on Boxing Day is hardly an insult when we probably only have 3 tests scheduled for the rest of the year.

In the end the ICC needs to make test cricket financially viable again. This is an idea which could bear fruit and increase viewership as it decreases the gaps between teams. Survivng 400 overs against SA Australia England and India in their home conditions is already mission impossible most of the times for a lot of teams. ZC clearly agreed to this too. The best thing we can do for ourselves is to put up a really good fight and not get rolled over in 3 nights

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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by Kriterion_BD »

Jemisi wrote:
Fri Sep 22, 2017 5:49 am
Weren't they going to make them 100 over days? That would be 11% shorter not 20%.

But I'm with you on most of that Kriterion
If thats the case, make it a 110-115 overs a day and it might be an OK idea. I still like the idea of 5 day cricket though.

The main issue is, certain countries shouldn't playing 5 day Tests and others 4 days. Makes no sense. Thats like saying some teams will play with 4 ball overs and others 6.
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Re: SA vs Zim - Boxing Day rumour

Post by pariah »

Quit being philosophical about this.

Let CSA shoot itself in the leg.

No way it will beat Zimbabwe over 4 days on that pitch (unless Streak has another selection+strategy brain fade :roll: ).

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