England back ICC plans to SCRAP five-day Tests in 2023 in bid to ease workload on players – with even the Ashes set to be limited to four
- Test matches have been played to a five-day limit since 1979
- But the emergence of Twenty20 has increased workload on players
- ICC are meeting to discuss reducing Tests to four days from 2023
- An ECB spokesman says that England are backing the plans
England are backing plans to reduce all Test matches, including the Ashes, from five days to four from 2023.
The change has long been debated by cricket pundits and fans but traditionalists have so far been able to resist calls for modernisation.
But with an ever-increasing workload on modern players, the Telegraph reveal that a change could be coming soon with the International Cricket Council set to officially discuss the proposal.
Ben Stokes celebrates his remarkable matchwinning hundred in the third Ashes Test in August
South Africa celebrate the wicket of Stokes on their way to winning the first Test last week
‘We believe it could provide a sustainable solution to the complex scheduling needs and player workloads we face as a global sport,’ an England and Wales Cricket Board spokesperson told the Telegraph.
‘We’re definite proponents of the four-day Test concept, but cautiously so, as we understand it’s an emotive topic for players, fans and others who have concerns about challenging the heritage of Test cricket.’
Cricket’s schedule has become congested with emergence of Twenty20 in the last two decades, and the ECB is launching a fourth format, The Hundred, this year.
Test matches have been set at five days since 1979, though the ICC has permitted some to be played over four days recently, including England’s win over Ireland in July.