Five-day Tests are the best: Stokes
Ben Stokes made an emphatic case for the unique drama of five-day Test cricket this week -- inspiring England to a series-levelling win against South Africa in the final overs of a dramatic contest.
His match-winning performance in Cape Town on Tuesday came at a time of intensifying debate over the future of the longest form of the game, which has been played since 1877.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) will in the coming months discuss reducing Tests to four days.
For a sport so closely linked with tradition, cricket has shown a remarkable ability to innovate in recent decades, introducing multiple forms of limited-overs cricket that have taken firm root.
But the latest proposal, part of an effort to tackle the crowded international cricket calendar and save on costs, has divided players, many of whom consider Test cricket the gold standard.
Stokes and England captain Joe Root spoke out in favour of the longer format, which allows the drama and nuances of the game time to play out.
“It’s why five-day cricket should always be around. It’s the best form of the game,” said Stokes.
Comments