Published: Nov 26, 2015, 05:42 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 26, 2015, 05:42 PM (IST)
Former Australian spin bowler Shane Warne feels that the current five-day format of Test cricket should be reduced to a four-day affair. The 46-year-old has echoed the words of Mark Taylor and Greg Chappell who had also advocated in favour of four-day Test matches. Warne also pressed for the end of coin toss. Warne thinks that the visiting team should be given the right to bat or field first. He said that day-night Test cricket is a fascinating proposition and it should be promoted. According to the legendary leg-spinner, the mandatory 90 overs to be bowled on a day in Test matches should be increased to 100 overs. READ: Greg Chappell expresses support towards four-day Tests ahead of Australia vs New Zealand day-night clash
Warne was quoted by Cricket Australia’s official website speaking to Melbourne radio station SEN, “I reckon it’s time for four-day Test cricket. I would make it four-day Test cricket, 100 overs a day, I’d have two half-hour breaks rather than a 40-minute lunch break and a 20-minute tea break, [and] I’d extend it by about half an hour to get those 100 overs in. I think that’s going to be more appealing for people and it’s worth a try. The day-night Test match is fantastic. It’s worth a go, and I don’t like to hear that people are trying to pick out the little pieces in it before it has even happened. Let’s see how it goes.” READ: Mark Taylor pitches support towards four-day matches to revive dwindling interest in Tests
“The other thing I’d change is no toss of the coin. The away team – New Zealand choose tomorrow morning at 10.30 if they want to bat or bowl. A good pitch is not a flat pitch and 500 [runs] – a good pitch is when the captains walk out to toss the coin and they’re not sure if they should bat or bowl, and the first session or so is tough work for the batsmen. We want to see some exciting cricket. If we’re not playing exciting Test match cricket and having a contest between bat and ball, the great game of Test cricket will die very, very quickly.”
