Radical concept: rolling all formats into one series

I don't like two-test series. They are deeply unsatisfying, but we are getting more and more of them.

I don't like the glut of meaningless T20 and ODIs. They are deeply unsatisfying, but we are getting more of them.

I don't like the trend. Ideally, we would push back against the trend and restore full-length Test series to their rightful place in the cricketing order. But I think that's a lost cause and was thinking about palatable ways of swimming with the current. So forgive this thought bubble for its radical nature - I'm just putting it out there.

What if we rolled T20, ODI and Tests into one combined series? For example, Australia would play Pakistan in 2 x T20s, then 2 x ODIs then 2 x Tests. A T20 win would be worth 2 points, a ODI win would be worth four points and a Test win worth 10 points.

The team with the most points at the end of the series wins the series.

The idea is to harness the hodge podge of fixtures out there and fashion them into a coherent whole. A two-test series has little room for ebb and flow, but a six-match series (albeit comprising varying formats) allows room for a story to develop. The two test matches would instead be the denouement of a complete series, not the start of a prematurely aborted contest.

It would also give meaning to T20 and one-day matches. They would count (albeit at a significantly reduced rate) to the whole. Such a system could also easily form part of a world championship. It would require less than three years for every Test nation to play every other Test nation home and away under this system. This would only add further meaning to the contest.

I'd suggest nominating a squad of 15 or 16 that is locked in for the length of the series. Teams would have to compromise - and due to the higher points on offer in Test Matches, proper cricketers would win out more often than T20 specialists in close selection decisions.

At the moment we hear a lot of talk about the different forms of the game diverging, with people suggesting T20 could break off on its own. I think this would be a disaster. There is so much money in T20 cricket that greater divergence would only harm the traditional forms of cricket. We need to keep T20 inside the tent.

As for the Ashes. They are sacrosanct. All series between England and Australia would have to include an extra three tests (which wouldn't count towards the official series, but would go towards deciding the Ashes). It would be a shame to lose full series between other nations, but not having a full series between England and Australia just wouldn't be cricket.

The germs of this idea probably lie in Matthew Engel's idea for a united County scene, with first-class and limited overs games both counting towards one united championship. The ECB thought the idea had merit, but the counties wouldn't countenance it.

Why just have designated periods during the test matches that will be scored as T20s and ODIs . .like sprints in a cycling event?

I don't like two-test series. They are deeply unsatisfying, but we are getting more and more of them ...

Much as I tend to agree with that sentiment on a Home and Away basis, isn't a £750,000 loss at Headingley (and a slightly lesser figure for Lord's) enough to convince you that two neutral tests is more than enough at this point ?!!

Merlin wrote:

I don't like two-test series. They are deeply unsatisfying, but we are getting more and more of them ...

Much as I tend to agree with that sentiment on a Home and Away basis, isn't a £750,000 loss at Headingley (and a slightly lesser figure for Lord's) enough to convince you that two neutral tests is more than enough at this point ?!!

Well, that may be the case, but my post is about two-test series in general, not the merits of neutral tests. Come October Australia will have played three consecutive two-test series.

For various reasons, two-test series are becoming more and more prevalent.

But the recent Pakistan-Australia faceoff is a good example of a two-test series which could have been enhanced by throwingT20 and ODI matches into the mix.

Athletics has the pentathlon and decathlon. Swimming as medley relays. Equestrian has eventing. Gymnastics has its all-around system. I think the most pertinent example is tennis, which includes both singles and doubles in Davis Cup ties. They are two different forms of the game which both count towards the final outcome - and make for a better whole as a result.

I think that the problem with this idea is that it would probably lead to having only a single test in some series and even less 3-5 test series. 2 test series are shocking but they are at least better than 1.

Why not just have back-to-back bowlouts?

I read that as blowouts ... how odd to have blowouts in a Test series, unless it's Ian Ronaldo Bell currying favour with his boss from Warwickshire / Selectors Panel.

Radical concept # 2 - STFO with your radical concepts.

Meanwhile, at ICC headquarters, Captain Thunder takes note of idea entitled radical concept and places it on the pin-up board entitled 'genius.' Other ICC members twiddle their thumbs maniacally in delight and look down the list, past 'chocolate bats' all the way down to 'more chuckers' to where there is a picture of Pamela Anderson using a bat as a dildo.

Grow up you silly twat.

I sense much anger in you, Welshie.

Thanks, Yoda.

Chivalry Augustus wrote:Radical concept # 2 - STFO with your radical concepts.

Meanwhile, at ICC headquarters, Captain Thunder takes note of idea entitled radical concept and places it on the pin-up board entitled 'genius.' Other ICC members twiddle their thumbs maniacally in delight and look down the list, past 'chocolate bats' all the way down to 'more chuckers' to where there is a picture of Pamela Anderson using a bat as a dildo.

Shut the F*ck off?
Shut the F*ck out?

or did you mean...

Get the F*ck out?

Splendid Thinking, Forthright, Original

So Tartish, Flippant, Obtuse.

It would be pretty obvious to anyone who wasn't a Welsh and therefore didn't use letters like y and w as bastardised vowels that I had merely mistaken my last vowel and actually intended to use the acronym STFU. However, I must plead poverty in my use of the English language for I was so apoplectic whilst reading the content of this thread that I murdered eight people with my right hand whilst composing a stirring homophobic hate speech with my left.

Chivalry Augustus wrote:It would be pretty obvious to anyone who wasn't a Welsh and therefore didn't use letters like y and w as bastardised vowels that I had merely mistaken my last vowel and actually intended to use the acronym STFU. However, I must plead poverty in my use of the English language for I was so apoplectic whilst reading the content of this thread that I murdered eight people with my right hand whilst composing a stirring homophobic hate speech with my left.

Hurrrrr durrrrr I subtly bring up one forummer in my wall of text hurrrr durrrr.



Yeah, he got me hook, line and sinker? Big whoop, wannafightaboutit?

That was

S
T
F
U

Smerky.

Think about it.

Let it sink in.

Drop it in a glass of water and shake it around for a few hours.

Dangle it on a piece of string, like a yo-yo, and do around the worlds.

Place it somewhere where it will become lost, then try and find it.

Find it, then give it to someone, then try and find THEM.

Lose the message, look for god, then find the message anew.

If you think about this one message, all your dreams will come true.

Nice work, CA and DJ.

Chivalry Augustus wrote:It would be pretty obvious to anyone who wasn't a Welsh and therefore didn't use letters like y and w as bastardised vowels that I had merely mistaken my last vowel and actually intended to use the acronym STFU. However, I must plead poverty in my use of the English language for I was so apoplectic whilst reading the content of this thread that I murdered eight people with my right hand whilst composing a stirring homophobic hate speech with my left.

So you'll be running for the tories shortly?

Chivalry Augustus wrote:Radical concept # 2 - STFO with your radical concepts.

Meanwhile, at ICC headquarters, Captain Thunder takes note of idea entitled radical concept and places it on the pin-up board entitled 'genius.' Other ICC members twiddle their thumbs maniacally in delight and look down the list, past 'chocolate bats' all the way down to 'more chuckers' to where there is a picture of Pamela Anderson using a bat as a dildo.

I don't suppose you have a link

NSFW.

ROFL ... Woody was bloody funny.

As were the other two.