Former England cricketer Michael Atherton has pointed to the reasons that have contributed to Test matches finishing quickly more often during this decade and referred to the advent of T20 cricket and changes in the nature of pitches due to the points-driven ICC World Test Championship (WTC). Atherton was speaking on Sky Sports during the second Test between England and Pakistan at Lord’s, which is facing delay due to rain. There have been a lot of instances of Test matches getting over within less than four/five days during this decade.
In the last decade, there have been nine occasions where test matches have finished in two days, and there wasn’t a single occasion of a two-day test between 1946 and 2000. In the Lord’s Test, England hold a massive 250-plus run lead, having bundled out Pakistan for 110 in response to their first innings score of 290. At the start of the day three, England were 81/3.
Speaking about Test matches getting over quickly in the modern era, Atherton said, “Nass ( Nasser Hussain , his broadcast partner at Sky Sports) and I played in the 1990s, and the number of games that finished in three days or less was around 7 per cent, and that is now at 20 per cent, so that is a big difference. So there are four or five reasons off the top of my head,” he signed off.
Atherton said that the high-risk batting template of T20 cricket has seeped into Tests as well, which has made batting risky. Be it in India, where the spin-friendly dust bowls are prominent or Australia or England, where pitches are more bouncy and pacy, this aspect is becoming common and raised some questions about Test match batting and the overall standard of cricket as also the pitches. So I think the general starting point is that test matches are going quicker. He also named the Decision Review System (DRS), host nations setting up advantageous pitches for WTC points as some of the factors that have led to Test matches finishing in less than five days. “DRS has had an impact I think–umpires, first of all DRS, you know, will show when you are out and then umpires are more likely to give LBWs. I think pitches have become more advantageous since the advent of the World Test Championship. Teams are generally looking to get home advantage more, so whether it’s turning pitches in India or seaming pitches in England, generally the pitches have become more bowling-friendly since the advent of the World Test Championship.
