Wynne Gray: Why four day tests should happen

If teams don't hit the overs per session target, they should concede 15 runs for each over, writes Wynne Gray. Photo / Getty Images

Four day cricket tests, more than 100 overs a day, finish on a Sunday. What's not to like?

Farewells like Mitchell Johnson's should be in front of a decent crowd rather than the trickle of tragics who went to the Waca last Tuesday or those who went to the Gabba for the Monday finish.

The four-day test concept is on the agenda of the MCC cricket committee who meet in Adelaide this week before the start of Friday's historic day-night test which, in theory, will end next Tuesday.

Opponents like committee member and former Australian test spinner Tim May fear a change to four-day tests would threaten the life of spinners and create more draws.

He argues four-day pitches would encourage more reverse swing, further diminish the role of spinners and allow teams in trouble to have a stronger chance of batting for a draw.

He is also concerned there would not be enough playing hours available on the subcontinent to accommodate the extra play. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is also on the committee and struggles with the four-day proposals.

Australian cricket chief James Sutherland likes the idea of cricket tests adopting the four-day Sunday finish which golf tournaments use to maximise spectator interest.

Another in his camp is Mark Taylor, the Australian test skipper-turned-television commentator. He is also on the ICC committee which said it was "not of the view that tests should be shorter than five days" but accepted cricket had to embrace proposals to increase its appeal.

Here's a few ways to make the four-day test concept work or even the current five-day model.

# Punish teams who do not hit the target overs per session by delaying lunch or tea until they have. Fines don't hurt them but hunger pangs will.

# Ban the frequent mini-drinks breaks around the scheduled drinks break each session.

# Umpires need more power to warn fielding teams and captains about time-wasting.

# If teams don't hit the overs per session target, they should concede 15 runs for each over shortfall which could be added to the sundries tally.

# Start half-an-hour earlier, finish half-an-hour later.