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Geoff Boycott has slammed Test
cricket's minnows and launched a stinging criticism of the ICC which
he accused of devaluing the game by its continuing refusal to acknowledge
that Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have not got what it takes to compete
at Test level.
Delivering the fifth annual Cowdrey Lecture on the eve of the Lord's
Test, Boycott was in typically outspoken form. "I honestly believe
the ICC should be ashamed of themselves for allowing this devaluation
of Test cricket to continue," he said. "My mum would have
scored runs and got wickets against Bangladesh ... she'd have wanted
to bat and bowl at both ends They are an embarrassment to Test cricket.
Nobody wants to see it and the vast accumulation of runs against them
does nothing for the game."
He also called for the reintroduction of four-day Tests as well as
day-night Tests in an effort to boost attendances. Although crowds
for Tests in England remain excellent, elsewhere it is a different
story. "Administrators have to understand that we must reverse
the trend," he argued. The Test match game is already on a slippery
slope and unless we get more fans and supporters in the grounds, Tests
will die out in the years to come.
"They say that we can't have day-night Test matches because of
the white ball. They always bring this up and it's nothing more than
a red herring. We can get a man on the moon, yet we can't find a white
cricket ball that lasts 80 overs. It's laughable, isn't it?"
And Boycott also slammed the ICC for insisting on punishing schedules
which risk player burn-out. "Someone has to sit down and answer
the question: 'what is a reasonable number of Tests and one-day games
for a player to perform in without burn-out? Nobody seems bothered
about that, but the players are knackered.
"What we need is some leadership, some dynamism, a desire to
tackle the problems and promote the game. Not just let it meander
along expecting people to turn up at our convenience."
Boycott also praised the advent of Twenty20 cricket. "It's an
amazing game which has excited audiences and filled grounds and could
easily take the place of the ICC [Champions] Trophy, which last year
was a damp squib. We should treat it as a fun day out that complements
rather than takes the place of Test and 50-over matches.
"It could be a big money-spinner, the public would support it
and TV would queue up for it."
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