Pakistan to propose six-day Tests

[Maranello]

Cricinfo news:

"The solution lies in that at a particular time of the year we may have to play a six-day test," Shaharyar Khan, the PCB chairman, said. "This seems to me the obvious solution. So we will go to the ICC in the hope that the Test matches in Pakistan in winters be extended to [a] sixth day."

Malcolm Speed, the ICC's chief executive, agreed that the game's governing body would give the proposal serious consideration. "I think it is a peculiarly Pakistan problem at this time of the year. It's not a new issue, it's been around for some time. Perhaps the solution is to get a six-day Test at this time of year in Pakistan."

Seems eminently sensible to me. Six day Tests were played in the West Indies in the 1950s (not sure when this practice was abandoned) for presumably similar reasons. For instance, the match in 1958 at Brdigetown when Hanif Mohammad made his world-record 337 whilst batting for 970 minutes (over 16 hours) had a staggering total of 546 overs in the six days (and it was still drawn!) - now that is what I call proper cricket

[Occasional Fan]

A couple of newspaper commentators have made this same comment over the last week. It seems so obvious that it's surprising it hasn't happened before. I hope the ICC sees the sense of this proposal.

[Notts Exile]

Originally Posted by Maranello

1958 at Brdigetown when Hanif Mohammad made his world-record 337 whilst batting for 970 minutes (over 16 hours)

That Innings lasted 319 overs! I wonder if that is the longest innings in Test history?

[Maranello]

Hanif's innings is the world record for the longest innings ever, in terms of time spent on crease.

Am not sure whether the team's effort (319 overs) is a record of some sort - quite possibly not. Hanif did not bat for the full 319 overs of the innings; he came in as the opener, and was the sixth wicket to fall at 626. The innings was declared at 657/8 (off 319 overs).

[Ernest]

I think that in any country that does not have a twilight then 6 day Test series are the answer, even if batsmen make record long innings, to me that shows more concentration.

[greg]

I think it makes sense as long as all the countries agree to it.On the plus side for Pakistan and any other country that would need to enforce the new rule is the fact they would potentially get an extra days gate receipts so they will certainly be all for it.

[Rachael]

I've no problem with the idea of six day Tests... but why not have them everywhere: might ease the pressure on Coaches to treat Tests as overgrown ODI.

[Victor Frankenstein]

I'm not so sure personally. I guess if it's the PCB's idea to do it and they're happy to do so then fine, but if they're under pressure from the ICC just because a full days play isn't happening then i don't think it's fair, we don't play extra days because of days lost to rain so i think it should be a case of playing to the conditions.

If england were asked to play 6 day tests to make up for for those days lost to rain or bad light, that inevitably occurs at some point during an english summer, then we'd have lost a lot more games and series as we've been saved by the weather far more times than we've lost out to it imo.

[Sean Beynon]

The reason so much play has been lost in this series is the over rates, simple as that. In Multan and Faisalabad, how many times were there less than six hours cricket? Maybe one or two days - and then they were only fifteen minutes short. Lahore a bit more of a problem, but still only losing half an hour a day. Need proper penalties for slow over rates.

[Occasional Fan]

Just about two hours were lost in total at Multan. At Faisalabad, there was no loss of regulation time at all. Not one minute. And the match was short by 50 overs. I'm with you, Sean.