I have concerns about the state of Test cricket, says http://www.senore.com/Cricket/AJ-Strauss-c964 – Cricket News Update
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749’s Test skipper, Andrew Strauss, is not happy over the massive popularity of the shorter version of the game, which compelled him to raise his voice to save Test Cricket.
The 34-year-old has stated that the rising popularity of T20 and ODI cricket is alarming for the future of the Test format.
"I have concerns about the state of Test cricket. I am very much aware that if we are arrogant and assume Test cricket will always be there, we are sowing the seeds of our downfall,” Strauss told the Times.
According to the veteran of 89 Test matches, there is a need to take appropriate and practical steps to encourage public to watch Test cricket, rather than aiming to make money out of the game.
"The administrators are trying to recognise the primacy of Test cricket, but there is a difference between saying it and making sure your actions follow it. The http://www.senore.com/Cricket/ICC-World-Cup-2011-c100625 [International Cricket Council] should look at what is in the best interests of the game, not what is going to pay the most," He added.
Strauss, who recently led his country against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 in the 4-match Test series, clean sweeping the opponents to grab the World’s number 1 position in ICC’s test ranking, himself said good-bye to the shorter format after the ICC World Cup 2011, to concentrate on the 5-day game.
The Johannesburg-born left-handed batsman has always been right on the money with his sensible batting performances in the longer version to guide his national side, scoring 6340 runs with an average of 41.98.
The English skipper, who has captained England in 39 Tests, winning 21, and losing just 5, started his Test career in 2004 against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/New-Zealand-c754 at Lord’s in London, and since then, has been contributing exceptionally well with his bat to help the English side perform consistently.
Coming back to his concern over the scope of Test cricket, he also showed dissatisfaction over the limited presence of the crowd to support the longer format.
"Even in traditional hotbeds of the game such as http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757, attendances are a long way below what we would expect them to be,” Strauss shared.
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