Cricket: Hesson less than convinced about four-day tests

Mike Hesson has had plenty on his mind, including the prospect of four-day tests. Photo / Getty

Listen to the talk in the last few days and you'd be forgiven for thinking four-day tests are set to follow hard on the heels of day-night test cricket.

It's not that straight forward but certainly there's been no shortage of well known cricket names spruiking the concept, led by former Australian captains Mark Taylor and Greg Chappell.

Raising the overs per day from 90 to 100 is bound to give players' associations around the world palpitations.

The cumulative effect of that would be 50 overs less test play. Chappell even floated the idea of the first innings cutting off at 100 overs.

There are some lateral thinkers out there. Indeed Chappell, an Australian batting champion of the 1970s and 80s, raised the issue of evolution.

He was part of the Kerry Packer World Series Cricket in the late 1970s, which revolutionised the way the one-day game was played, and looked. White balls, coloured clothing, even cameras at both ends of the ground.

''I think any business, and sport is a business, I think more than anything else if you don't continue to be evolving you're likely to be going backwards," Chappell said. ''I think we should look at all these things."

New Zealand coach Mike Hesson is yet to be convinced.

He's had enough on his mind preparing for the series-deciding third test, but his initial reaction to the idea was lukewarm.

''I don't know anything about it other than the headlines," he said today.

''How many overs in a day, whether this is all test matches from now on, there's too many variables for me to give an informed decision.

''I like the fact that over the five days every player in the squad has a chance to make an impact.

''I'm sure there will be financial implications of shortening [tests], some good and some bad, but I don't really know enough yet."

The players most affected by trimming a day could be spin bowlers, who tend to become a force on the fifth day of tests, when the pitch is wearing, and taking turn.

Under the four-day plan, by the time the fourth day arrived, the pitch would be in the equivalent state of a present day lunch break on the fourth day, taking into account an extra 30 overs of play on it over the first three days.

''It depends how many overs you play in a day and whether you start to prepare surfaces that are a bit dry," Hesson said.

''There are a lot more results now than there has been, and I don't think that needs to be forced."

However Hesson can see if this test works, more pink ball matches will be added to the calendar.

''I can see if it works well, then in New Zealand there would be the odd day-night test, and I can certainly see it becoming the norm."

Without having given it much thought, Hesson said it would need to be played in the North Island, citing Hamilton's Seddon Park as the most logical venue.

As for the inaugural day-night test, how to decide if it's a success?

Crowds will help that, with about 40,000 expected at Adelaide on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. But...

''The integrity of the game still has to be upheld. There will definitely be different characteristics in a day-night test than a day game, but I don't think that's a bad thing.''