Originally Posted by
Ach
May i ask why? Is it cos England are a bit shit at ODIs and pretty good in the Test format? Or do you find Tests more appealing than the limited over game? And if so why? Serious question here. What is so appealing about Tests? Regardless of what people may think, a lot more skill goes in to the limited over games than it does in Tests.
The bowling in Tests - Bowl wherever you want, offside or leg, its practically impossible to bowl a wide in Tests and you must be really shit to do so. A bowler can also have 10, 15 maybe 20 as many overs as they like to get their eye in.
Bowling in Limited over games - Have to be on the money from the first ball. Line has to be spot on or its a wide and a bowler doesnt have unlimited amount of overs to get their eye in. 2 maximum if that. They have to get it right straight away or their overs run out and they have gone for 6+ an over
Tell me which requires more skill. A bit of a recap
Tests - Bowl wherever you want, no pressure.
Limited overs - Line spot on. Pressure is immense to be accurate asap.
Thats the bowling. Lets have a look at the batting
Batting in Tests - Again like with bowling, you can face 100 balls to get set and get your eye in, You can leave or block as many as you want (more on this later when i get to the entertainment section of the post)One of the most embarrassing things in cricket is when a player is out playing a defensive shot. If youre going to get out, get out trying to score runs which is the whole point of the sport
Batting in Limited Overs - You have to score and you have to score quick. Look at Trott in this ODI series. I cant remember which match it was. It was either the 2nd or the 3rd where he scored 90 odd and England scored 298 i think, Looking at that on its own, that looks very good. Actually watch the match and his innings as i did and you'll see he cost England 20 possibly 30 runs and England should have had 320+ at least if not for Trott. Its not just me saying this. Pundits said the same during and after that ODI. He was critisised for it and rightly so. Now look at someone like Sehwag who comes out swinging and is regarded as awesome by every Indian fan out there. Whether he scores 20, 30 or 90, he gets India above the run rate and the rest finish it off as was the case during the World Cup. A proper team player who sacrifices his wicket for the good of the team.
A little recap
Batting in Tests - Block and leave as many as you want. No pressure to score runs as overs are unlimited
Batting in Limited overs - Score runs and quickly as overs go quickly.
So tell me which needs more skill?
As for fielding, in Tests there are no restrictions so the captain can put his fielders where ever he wants and no thought is needed. In limited over games, there are restrictions so a captain actually has to think where to put his fielders to take wickets, stop runs etc.
Now to the entertainment, can anyone seriously tell me Tests are more entertaining? For me, a cricket and a sports fan in general, i want to be entertained first and foremostly. Look at the crowds in Tests all over the world not just in England. Tests are not as popular as it once was. Ask a kid who doesnt know about Cricket and what he'd rather watch and it'd be limited over games all the time.
Tests have a place in Cricket but it comes in 3rd behind the other 2 and rightly so. When world class players such as Malinga at the age of 27 i think retires from Tests to play ODis and T20, well its a damning indictment