The Boxing Day Test match between Australia and England was a quick wrap as it ended with two days on Saturday (Dec 27). With the match ending in two days, organisers were hit with a major loss as there will be no play on Sunday between Australia and England in the Ashes.
Cricket Australia CEO Todd Greenberg has now raised concerns for the future of Test cricket despite a record crowd.
Test cricket in danger?
“Short Tests are bad for business,” said Greenberg while speaking to the media on Day 2. “The short answer for that, in my opinion, is yes,” Greenberg 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. So I would like to see a slightly broader balance between the bat and the ball. I thought yesterday slightly favoured the ball. The batters have some ownership in some of that; it’s not all around the pitch, but we’ve got some challenges.”
Having lost in the vicinity of AUD$5 million (US$3.3 million) for the two-day Test in Perth after 19 wickets fell on day one, CA are staring another massive loss in the face if the MCG Test ends inside six sessions despite a record crowd of 94,199 on day one and another sell-out on day two.
What happened in Boxing Day Test?
England’s wait for a Test win on Australian soil finally came to an end as they beat Australia by four wickets in the fourth Ashes Test. Playing at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) in the traditional year-ending fixture, the contest ended England’s almost 15-year winless streak on Australian soil in red-ball format. The result also means Australia lost its first match in the current World Test Championship (WTC) but still have an unassailable 3-1 lead in the five-match series.