With England facing the inevitability of another convincing loss by the time I have finished typing this article and frustrations threatening to boil over into a LiverpoolWhoElse tirade , it got me thinking about the general state of Test cricket.
For me, even with England having a dismal winter tour of India following a below average series at home to Pakistan, Test cricket will always be the number one spectacle. Ok, so I admit, I've checked the scorecard early from my bed to see the general position of the games against India and Bangladesh and 9 times out of 10, I've hit the snooze button and enjoyed a lie in whilst our batsman flirt with average bowlers in favourable conditions.
Which brings me to my point...
Home teams (generally) win their home games. There's not been many away series victories in recent years, with home sides (particularly in Asian conditions) providing pitches that will favour their style of play. Ok, so the Aussies can't win in any conditions and for some reason the English groundsman (presumably under pressure from the ECB to produce 5 day pitches) occasionally produce wickets that don't play to England's strengths (Lords and the Oval spring to mind).
The result of all appears to be mixed. Yes it is the home sides right to provide pitches that suit their play and teams like India, Bangladesh, New Zealand in their recent test series and England going back to the Ashes, have cashed in on some famous victories. I know there will be people who say that is why it is historically tough to tour places like the sub continent for non sub continent teams and for Asian teams to play on green seamers, but is it time the balance was addressed?
Could scrapping the toss completely and giving the away side the choice of either batting or bowling be an option, similar to what has been employed in the English county game?
Follow the County Example?
posted on 29/11/16
comment by Lefty (U17934)
posted 1 minute ago
Great Thread Serial
went down a treat
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You mean sparking debate and thoughts from decent posters apart from you and your other account?
Why don't you go back to the Video Games boards and start a conversation there
posted on 29/11/16
Please highlight any signs of bitterness?
Stating that all home sides do it and including England producing green seamers really sounds bitter doesn't it...
posted on 29/11/16
That's better Serial.
I agree with you to certain extent where home dominance for ALL nations needs to be addressed however what LWE says whereby test cricket is about testing yourself against all conditions holds more argument, in my opinion.
posted on 29/11/16
Serial they don't do it because of failing themselves with the bat..Ie if England end up being bowled out cheaply themselves..
That could have happened.if Australia had of won the toss at Nottingham rather than England last summer..
That's why I would pack our batting line up and have lower order batsmen who playing attacking shots.
200 could become 300 and your in the game..
posted on 29/11/16
comment by dangerdog (U20986)
posted 1 minute ago
That's better Serial.
I agree with you to certain extent where home dominance for ALL nations needs to be addressed however what LWE says whereby test cricket is about testing yourself against all conditions holds more argument, in my opinion.
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"I know there will be people who say that is why it is historically tough to tour places like the sub continent for non sub continent teams and for Asian teams to play on green seamers, but is it time the balance was addressed?"
I made that point! It shouldn't be easy. I didn't even say that this IS the right approach, but its something to consider down at the ICC isn't it? We need changes otherwise test cricket will continue to be drowned out by the pyjama parties and Vuvuzelas at T20's!
posted on 29/11/16
The reality is that the toss has a big influence on results due to pitches in the subcontinent conditions. If you win the toss you are 80% likely not to lose
posted on 29/11/16
comment by 🐑Serial🐑 (U20699)
posted 18 minutes ago
comment by dangerdog (U20986)
posted 1 minute ago
That's better Serial.
I agree with you to certain extent where home dominance for ALL nations needs to be addressed however what LWE says whereby test cricket is about testing yourself against all conditions holds more argument, in my opinion.
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"I know there will be people who say that is why it is historically tough to tour places like the sub continent for non sub continent teams and for Asian teams to play on green seamers, but is it time the balance was addressed?"
I made that point! It shouldn't be easy. I didn't even say that this IS the right approach, but its something to consider down at the ICC isn't it? We need changes otherwise test cricket will continue to be drowned out by the pyjama parties and Vuvuzelas at T20's!
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It is something to look at, but as all test fans know there are so many variables to winning or losing test matches. I think the demise of test cricket is not mainly down to the growth of a have it now world we live in and sadly t20 caters for that
posted on 29/11/16
comment by dangerdog (U20986)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by 🐑Serial🐑 (U20699)
posted 18 minutes ago
comment by dangerdog (U20986)
posted 1 minute ago
That's better Serial.
I agree with you to certain extent where home dominance for ALL nations needs to be addressed however what LWE says whereby test cricket is about testing yourself against all conditions holds more argument, in my opinion.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
"I know there will be people who say that is why it is historically tough to tour places like the sub continent for non sub continent teams and for Asian teams to play on green seamers, but is it time the balance was addressed?"
I made that point! It shouldn't be easy. I didn't even say that this IS the right approach, but its something to consider down at the ICC isn't it? We need changes otherwise test cricket will continue to be drowned out by the pyjama parties and Vuvuzelas at T20's!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
It is something to look at, but as all test fans know there are so many variables to winning or losing test matches. I think the demise of test cricket is not mainly down to the growth of a have it now world we live in and sadly t20 caters for that
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cricket is mainly down
posted on 29/11/16
If you scrap the toss then the home team will produce flat wickets. We saw that this year in County Cricket.
posted on 10/12/16
It seems to be a general trend in sports' conversations that if anyone suggests a change the knee-jerk reaction is to say "it is just because you are losing".
Such reactions (in this case) are ill-thought out for four reasons: suggestions for change happen when teams are winning (I and others have for a long time advocated removing the toss); the rules would still apply when we are winning; it would not affect the strength/weakness of the teams; the original post did not show bitterness.
So, stop changing the subject and engage in the conversation.
As far as I am concerned, the toss give too much advantage and is making the game boring. Giving the away side the choice of batting or not would make the game more interesting. While people like myself love test cricket beyond other forms, I can see T20 may destroy test cricket. Nobody goes to county or regional games any more, it needs a boost. Without county/regional games, test cricket will die.