Administrators don’t play, five day Tests unique: Mike Gatting

NAVI MUMBAI: Former England captain Mike Gatting on Tuesday stressed that five-day Tests have more possibility of having results than the proposed four-day format, joining the chorus of cricketers who have opposed the idea.

"Test cricket is unique, we keep saying it day in and day out. Sadly, it's the administrators who don't play, who understand that they have a problem in scheduling I suspect. Therefore, they don't understand what a unique game Test cricket is," Gatting said at the launch of the Tendulkar Middlesex Global Academy DY Patil Sports Centre.

"So, it's good to have a chat, let's talk about it so that people can understand both sides of the story."

Gatting played 79 Tests for England scoring 4409 runs.

"If there's less Test cricket fine, but I will be very, very opposed to getting rid of Test cricket, it has to be five days.

"If you have bad weather in England or South Africa anyway, it's a draw if you lose a day, so with five days you get a chance of having a result. It's worth talking, but five-day Test cricket is unique in many ways.

"So in those four-day talks, let's talk about what are the areas we might actually try and improve the promotions of Test cricket and ways of making it a little better to fit it in the schedule," Gatting said. IANS

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