Former England Captain Michael Atherton Concerned Over Rise in Three-Day Test Matches
Michael Atherton explains why three-day Tests have risen sharply, pointing to T20 batting, DRS, fast bowlers and pitches.
Former England captain Michael Atherton has raised concerns over the sharp rise in Test matches finishing within three days, saying the trend is a major change from the 1990s.
Atherton noted that only around 7% of Tests ended in three days or less during the 1990s. That number has now risen to about 20%, showing how quickly short Test matches have become more common.
The number of two-day Tests has also increased. Nine such matches have been played in the last decade, while there were none between 1946 and 2000.
The discussion came after the England-Pakistan first Test at Leeds and Australia-Bangladesh second Test at Mackay both ended inside three days.
Atherton said there are several reasons behind the change, with the influence of T20 cricket being one of them. He believes modern batters are taking more risks, which can lead to wickets falling more often.
“Batting is higher risk now because of T20, and if you take more risk, you’re going to have a chance of getting out more,” Atherton said.
He also pointed to the quality of fast bowling in the current era. Strong pace attacks can put pressure on batters throughout an innings and make it harder for teams to build big totals.
The former England captain also believes the Decision Review System has played a role. DRS has made LBW decisions more frequent, while umpires may also be more willing to give batters out knowing reviews are available.
Atherton’s fourth reason was the growing focus on home advantage under the ICC World Test Championship. He feels teams are preparing more bowling-friendly pitches to improve their chances of winning at home.
“I think pitches have become more advantageous since the advent of the World Test Championship,” Atherton said.
He added that teams are increasingly preparing pitches suited to their strengths, from turning tracks in India to seam-friendly surfaces in England.
With three-day Tests now making up around one in five matches, Atherton believes the trend deserves a wider debate over the future balance between bat and ball in Test cricket.
