'Short Tests are bad for business': CA CEO Greenberg after 20-wicket opening day at MCG

Melbourne, Dec 27 Cricket Australia chief executive officer Todd Greenberg voiced his concerns over extending the duration of a Test match from five days to two, which can lead to continued excitement due to the number of wickets taken; however, Greenberg said that wicket-laden days can lead to the long-term demise of Tests as a format.

In light of the two-day test match that kicked off the Ashes series in Perth, there is now also a realistic possibility that we may see a third quick Test match during the Boxing Day Test match at the MCG, especially considering that 20 wickets fell in an action-packed first day at this year’s Test match.

However, a record 94,000 people crammed into the MCG on an extremely entertaining day, which will remain in the memories of all who attended for many years to come, according to Greenberg.

“I didn’t sleep well last night, put it that way,” Greenberg told SEN Cricket. “It was an amazing day of Test cricket, so for that record number of people who were here, boy, they’ve had an experience.

“But our challenge is to make sure we can continue those experiences day after day. That’s the challenge for all of us.”

After being asked if the 20 wickets that fell in one day were too many, Greenberg said, "No", because any time you have that many wickets falling in a Test match, it pushes the game towards a shorter format, which Cricket Australia does not wish to see, as it is detrimental to both the game and the business.

“Short answer for that in my opinion is yes,” he said. “As mesmerising and fascinating and enjoyable as it was to watch as a fan, we want Test cricket clearly to go for longer.

“A simple phrase I’d use is short Tests are bad for business. I can’t be much more blunt than that.”

Greenberg also indicated that there are still areas where the two competing sides with bat and ball must be balanced. He added that the conditions on the opening day provided an advantage to the bowlers, and he believes that the pitch alone is not responsible for this.

“So I would like to see a slightly broader balance between the bat and the ball. I thought yesterday slightly favoured the ball,” he said. “The batters have some ownership in some of that, it’s not all around the pitch, but we’ve got some challenges.”

The problem continued on Day 2, when the first session saw another 6 wickets fall, increasing the likelihood of a Test match being completed well before its actual scheduled conclusion.

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