Saturday Serve: Leave Test cricket format alone

RIGHT now, Test cricket in Australia is at the crossroads.

Low crowd numbers at the summer opener in Brisbane, two relatively non-competitive series against Pakistan and New Zealand, not all that much to get excited over.

Does the format need a change?

Or is it just going through a slump?

The former for me.

The recent win was great for a bit of pride in the Australian team again after some tumultuous times and who wants to watch to a string of games where the result is really sorted by lunch on day three?

But be that as it may, the idea being floated now to move to four-day cricket is ludicrous.

A host of current and former players aren’t over the moon about it, but the boards of Australia, England and New Zealand aren’t totally against shortening the game – and, by all reports, the International Cricket Council is considering it.

I’m somewhat of a traditionalist, although I readily admit not much this Australian summer has garnered my attention.

Losing a day of cricket would mean more draws overall as teams simply wouldn’t be able to get through enough overs, and say it rained then you’d have a three-day test and no chance of a result.

Test cricket has changed enough with day-night matches now – and they are a really good idea – but changing the overall format would be remiss.

Yes, the long form of the game isn’t attracting the attention of short-format tournaments like the Big Bash League and the various overseas Twenty20 competitions – by nature it won’t, as those games are specifically designed to maximise entertainment – but does that mean it is inherently broken as the game’s pinnacle of competition?

We just need a few more good-to-watch matches and the interest will be back.

Yes, New Zealand were ranked second in the world, we were fifth (second after this series), but Australia always plays well at home – and the lacklustre Kiwis shouldn’t deter us.

Shortening the games won’t make the cricket being played any closer, even if it does mean a few more draws as teams shut up shop earlier.

Keep it as it is and back the game to get out of its low patch.