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MUMBAI:
Test cricket, which has been fast losing its popularity to
the shorter version of the game, is going to experiment with
the day and night format to attract prime time television
audience.
In
a significant development, the International Cricket Council
(ICC) Cricket Committee has agreed to maintain the impetus
with regard to day and night Test cricket and recommended
that should the competing countries in a bi-lateral series
agree that they wish to try this out, this request should
be accommodated.
The
Committee also agreed that the trials at domestic level should
continue.
Market
research has recognised that the appeal of day and night Test
cricket might be better suited to certain markets, particularly
India, New Zealand and South Africa, and the trials revealed
certain cricket balls retained their colour and performed
better than others.
The
ICC Cricket Committee had earlier received reports of the
ongoing trials and considered the reports involving the development
and feasibility of using different colour balls in multi-day
formats in day and night conditions. They also considered
a report from John Stephenson of the MCC on the experiences
of their annual games in Abu Dhabi, reports from Australia,
England and Pakistan as well as spectator feedback.
The
encouraging change over the late years is that the value of
Test cricket has fallen at a time when the level of competitiveness
has intensified and matches have started yielding more results.
Statistics
from David Kendix demonstrate that over-rates are at their
highest in five years in Test cricket and that the average
frequency of no-balls has dropped sharply. There is also a
reduction in high scoring draws and that spin bowlers are
being deployed more often in all forms of the game.
Kendix,
who supplied these statistics to the Committee, also highlights
that Test cricket is as competitive now as it has been for
many years with five teams being separated by only eight rating
points.
The
committee, thus, feels that there is a need now, through the
Targeted Assistance Performance Programme (TAPP) and the Future
Tours Programme (FTP), to improve the competitiveness of some
of the lesser performing countries.
Twenty20
strategy: With the popularity of this format of the game fast
rising, the ICC Cricket Committee feels that it is wise to
let the status quo prevail.
The
ICC Cricket Committee supports the World Twenty20 being held
every two years; the World Twenty20s should continue to be
joint men’s and women’s events; and World Twenty20
should be 16 men’s team event from 2014 in order to encourage
the development of the game.
The Committee does not think there is need to have an ICC
World U19 Twenty20.
The
Committee's views are, thus, in line with those of the ICC
Board and the Chief Executive Council's which have already
agreed that the ICC World Twenty20 would remain a joint men’s
and women’s event and that the men's teams should increase
from 12 to 16 teams from 2014 onwards.
International
cricket, being the lifeblood of the world game, needs the
ICC to play a leadership role to protect and promote international
cricket. Recognising this, the committee believes that the
ICC and its member boards need to proactively ensure that
the attraction of international cricket is primary and not
only maintained but enhanced.
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