England tour of South Africa cut by one test

http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/england/content/current/story/387555.html

CSA and ECB agreed to cut the series to four tests, due to scheduling pressure.

Presumably the pressure of fitting in all the ODIs

Well at least the T20's and ODI's are first.

eowyn wrote:Well at least the T20's and ODI's are first.

That's as it should be - get the fluff out of the way before the real thing.

The future of international cricket?

Test series being shortened to fit in all of the limited-overs stuff - looks like the beginning of the end to me...

Dello wrote:The future of international cricket?

Test series being shortened to fit in all of the limited-overs stuff - looks like the beginning of the end to me...

It's hardly breaking news is it? Just look at the proliferation of two-test series in recent years. And four is certainly better than two!

And six hates seven (because 7, 8, 9).

I don't think this can be counted as a genuine shortening. In the FTP it was originally down as a four Test series, before England and SA agreed to give series between them 'iconic status' just a few months ago. From there, it looks like they've struggled to accommodate a fifth Test on this particular tour and have taken the easy decision in jettisoning it in favour of the more lucrative ODIs and Twenty20s. I disagree with the decision entirely, but there are obviously a few teething problems with this one and it can just about be justified.

So ECB and SA compromise on a whole test match?

Of course there is a solution....
Ban India!!!

It's the BCCI's fault.

Batman wrote:So ECB and SA compromise on a whole test match?

Because the BCCI weren't involved....

BanIndia

I make it that England will play 13 tests this year.

Hmmmm, KP to break the record for highest run aggregate in tests in a calendar year anyone?

Dello wrote:The future of international cricket?

Test series being shortened to fit in all of the limited-overs stuff - looks like the beginning of the end to me...

Oh well, it were a good 130 years or so.

Here's a thought: given the competitive nature and high financial stakes of modern One-Day Internationals, should these not be renamed "testicles"?

It might be fairier to cut a pair of those off the tour.

testes...

There's no accounting for testes.

Testefy

ECB - Killing test cricket, one test at a time...

It certainly goes against the stereotype when India request an extra test against New Zealand in the same month that England scrap a test against South Africa.

I think you all will agree with me when I say that it should have been a 5 test series, 1 T20 and 3 ODI series. That seems much more compact and by having the JAMODIS and JAMT20 out of the way, the real cricket can then be fully enjoyed in it's fullest form.

But no....The ECB had other ideas!

Henry wrote:It certainly goes against the stereotype when India request an extra test against New Zealand in the same month that England scrap a test against South Africa.

Of course India are only playing 3 tests while England are playing 4.

It's still pissweak.