Forum Topic

Test cricket is so boring

Which is lucky because otherwise I would be having a very unproductive day having a coronary after every Bumrah delivery and checking weather forecasts for Leeds.

Francis Rowe ● 5d12 Comments

Thanks for that - certainly a lot to think about!There are pros and cons to losing the fifth day, but to my mind everything comes down to whether statistics can reflect the unbeatable drama it can sometimes produce. I'd keep it.

Bruce Hammal ● 3d

If you're interested in this sort of thing, some analysis of how long test matches tend to last.https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/anantha-narayanan-the-duration-of-tests-across-history-and-the-feasibility-of-four-day-tests-1215504I've been on the fifth day of a test match plenty of times, always enjoyed it and it's a lot cheaper to buy a ticket.That said, I remember one time being really surprised to see that tickets for the fifth day were being sold when tickets for the first 4 days went on sale, and thinking to myself what idiot would buy those tickets. Turned out the fifth day was a real thriller, and you couldn't get tickets for love or money, and I felt the idiot!

Andrew Jones ● 3d

It's hard to sell tickets for the 5th day of a test match in advance as increasingly these days games are over inside 4 or even 3 days.At Headingley last day admission was I think £25 for adults and £5 for juniors but bearing in mind it was a working day and the weather forecast was a bit iffy, it's not surprising there were lots of empty seats.Mike Atherton (commentating for Sky Sports) made an on-air plea to the Headingley management to let people in for free, but I don't think it had any effect.

Bruce Hammal ● 3d

There were actually a lot of empty seats on every day of the test. Despite test cricket being great, I do think the cricketing authorities seem to be doing their best to destroy the game by bringing in so many different formats. Plus, not many other sports have even fewer teams in its core as did thirty years ago. Even Rugby has gained Argentina and Japan but Cricket has lost the West Indies where it has become a secondary or even tertiary sport. Unless England, India or Australia are playing, and maybe South Africa, there isn't much interest in the game.

Dave Mannisa ● 3d

The enthralled crowd appeared threadbare, possibly because spectators these days don't expect Test matches to still be in the balance by the fifth day, therefore don't fork out good money in advance for tickets.Even in an era of batting extravaganza, this Test match, with its momentum swings will go down in cricket folklore.

Denis I. Fox ● 3d

What a great match - enthralling from start to finish. Shame it wasn't on terrestial tv to watch with the sound off and TMS on the radio. Daft question - although we were told it was a sell out there seemed to be a lot of empty seats : surely not everyone was in the bar? Was the attendance really so poor?

Paul Flood ● 3d

Well, the 100 starts soon with the ladies followed by the gents along with pom pom girls, DJs blasting a tune out during 4s and 6s and lots more.Very popular it has become. Tickets for the final at Lord's sold out on the first day without knowing who's in the final.

Julian Pavey ● 4d

I don't like cricket I love it.Lyrics by 10cc

Denis I. Fox ● 4d

A reverse sweep for a six in these circumstances? Is the man insane? Does anyone know what the opposite of a raindance is?

Francis Rowe ● 4d

Perhaps if I had allowed the comment to sink in before knee jerk replying and getting straight back to the action,I would have realised sooner.

Keith Iddon ● 5d

Methinks Francis was speaking in jest!

Andrew Jones ● 5d

It isn't to many of us,and you don't have to watch it.Apologies if you were joking.

Keith Iddon ● 5d