Former England swashbuckling batsman Kevin Pietersen has given an important suggestion to keep the longest cricket alive given the success of the first season of The Hundred. KP said that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) established franchise-based cricket to improve white-ball cricket and now similarly there is a need to organize franchise-based red-ball cricket to keep Test cricket alive.
In a series of tweets, KP said that the ECB made white-ball cricket a priority in 2015. As a result, England went on to win the 2019 World Cup. Due to this, England’s bench strength also became very strong. However, it affected England’s Test team and its performance in the longest format of cricket was erratic. After series of losses in India, New Zealand, and Australia, England also lost the Test series at home. England recently lost to New Zealand in their home Test series, their first defeat in seven years at home.
England cricket team recently lost to New Zealand in their home Test series, which was their first defeat in the seven years at home. KP feels that since some countries can give fewer players to the national team in terms of quality players, then they should come together to form a franchise-like team so that more attention of the audience is focused on the quality players. He wrote:
“The ECB decided in 2015 to prioritise white ball cricket. They won the WC & now have a franchise tournament. Now is the time to franchise red ball cricket. Strengthen all the teams. Good players survive, others don’t. Test cricket will die if they don’t!”
“By franchising red ball county cricket, I mean combining 3/4 counties together, like The ?. Play 8-10 four day games a summer. The best players survive. There’s way too many average players calling themselves 1st class cricketers! That’s how you create red ball depth!”
“And maybe one day the ECB will listen to me.
I’ve called for franchise cricket for 10yrs in this country and check the viewing numbers on TV now – they’re UNREAL! Don’t KILL Test Cricket, @englandcricket! JUST DON’T!”
Here, check out the Tweet:
The ECB decided in 2015 to prioritise white ball cricket. They won the WC & now have a franchise tournament.
Now is the time to franchise red ball cricket. Strengthen all the teams. Good players survive, others don’t.
Test cricket will die if they don’t!
— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) July 31, 2021
By franchising red ball county cricket, I mean combining 3/4 counties together, like The ?.
Play 8-10 four day games a summer.
The best players survive. There’s way too many average players calling themselves 1st class cricketers!
That’s how you create red ball depth!
— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) July 31, 2021
And maybe one day the ECB will listen to me.
I’ve called for franchise cricket for 10yrs in this country and check the viewing numbers on TV now – they’re UNREAL!Don’t KILL Test Cricket, @englandcricket! JUST DON’T!
— Kevin Pietersen? (@KP24) July 31, 2021
