James Nixon | 2:08am BST 10 Might 2026
The time is now ripe to have interaction with the sceptics. Not solely these of the Cricket Net discussion board again in mid-August final 12 months in relation to a proposal that I had posted, but in addition those that I label Check match “doomsters”.
There’s a hiatus with England’s Check matches at current, extending from January to early-June this 12 months, once they meet New Zealand; and never a lot else is going on at Check stage previous to that (two Bangladesh vs Pakistan matches in early-mid Might, and one Eire vs New Zealand match in late-Might).
This two-part article is produced right here to not attempt to persuade the sceptics and doomsters at nice size in an earnest try to get them to vary their (typically steadfast) positions. Fairly, it’s to reply to them in a spirited, and generally provocative, means. Sure, it’s supposed to make them sit up and suppose…exhausting.
Plenty of criticisms have been levelled by individuals of the Cricket Net discussion board final August of my proposed 100 (or 110) Overs restrict for every group’s first innings in males’s Check matches.
Certainly one of these individuals – Starfighter – supplied the opinion a few comparable rule that was utilized some time in the past for the English County Championship (hereafter abbreviated to CTY CHAMP) – saying, “ It was afterwards nearly universally thought of to be a catastrophe.”
This was, in impact, an invite to look at such a declare – duly performed on this Half I. That rule appears to have had quite a lot of beneficial results, as outlined shortly.
One other participant – Swede – thought of my proposal to be “A horrible resolution to an issue that doesn’t exist.” Though this individual didn’t say why they think about it a horrible resolution, I produce beneath proof on the frequency of Check matches which are a foregone conclusion properly earlier than their ending. That is performed previous to outlining what I view to be the deserves of my proposal.
Different cautionary, and adversarial, feedback are addressed in Half II in contemplating the current state of Check cricket.
Nature of My Proposal: a recap
To recap on the character of my proposal, titled Can Check Matches Get Even Higher? – as printed on the Cricket Website online on 13 August 2025 (1,360 phrases):
This was to impose a restrict on the variety of overs to be obtained by every group’s first innings in Assessments, setting this most at both 100 or 110 overs.
Assuming each groups survive their full quota, this might sometimes occupy one full day’s play, plus an additional 18 – or 28 – overs which might take up round 1 hour and 20 minutes – or 2 hours and 5 minutes – of taking part in time on day two (primarily based on a grand common for the earlier two and a half calendar years of Assessments, with 13.6 overs being delivered per hour).
These maximums for overs to be obtained have been my intuitive guesses at cheap limits to impose, and I had them examined by means of an investigation of their doubtless impression, utilizing match outcomes and innings-by-innings statistics for 4 of the most important Check taking part in international locations. The interval examined was the beginning of 2023 by means of to a cut-off at early-August 2025. The international locations involved being England, Australia, South Africa and India.
For these matches when one group used up no less than 100 overs, I gave biggest consideration to establishing:
The proportion of matches gained; and what number of of those wins have been large – ie by a margin of 100 plus runs or 6 plus wickets.
The proportion of attracts: firstly, because of a excessive scoring match; and, secondly, because of unhealthy climate.
Most important Findings
For circumstances when 100 Plus Overs have been used up by one of many two groups(comprising two-fifths of all of the matches examined: giving 41 circumstances)25 WINS (61% of whole circumstances) – 20 of them being BIG (49% of all circumstances).. 10 DRAWS – 4 because of a excessive scoring match, 6 because of unhealthy climate.Solely 6 circumstances of Losses ensuing.
It must be famous that of all of the “large wins” included on this abstract, solely 4 have been towards “minnows” – ie towards Zimbabwe (three) and Eire (one), while there have been none performed towards Afghanistan.
Of curiosity is that 11 of the 25 Wins occurred when the group involved batted second – with 8 of these 11 wins being large ones. So preliminary use of the pitch wasn’t a dominant issue.
(There’s, above, a small correction from my August 2025 article, which gave Massive Wins as 19 as a substitute of 20.)
Advantages if a 100 Overs Restrict had Utilized
The principal impression would have been, as a substitute of getting a excessive frequency of matches dominated by one group and a roughly inevitable, foregone, conclusion properly earlier than the precise finish of the match, the dullness for spectators would have been a lot lowered. And so the general stage of enjoyment derived from watching these matches, on the grounds and on tv, would have been be significantly elevated.
Inspecting the pattern taken signifies that when a primary innings lasts for greater than round 100 overs, the match typically tends to turn out to be very one-sided – typically pretty early on – with solely one of many groups then having the ability to produce a victory. This tendency could be alleviated.
Additionally, by imposing a 100 overs restrict on the primary innings, the perceived “risk” of the demise of Check Cricket must be lowered, as mentioned in my Half II.
There are some extra useful results to keep in mind:
With 5 days of scheduled play, and no restriction on variety of overs obtained, there is no such thing as a stress on the aspect entering into to bat first to attain at greater than round 3.3 runs per over (being typical for the interval 2022-24, aside from for England) – except the group is behind within the sequence. This lack of stress might simply engender an ultra-conservative strategy to batting.
The workload and stress on quick bowlers – with long term ups and excessive vitality expended – could be extra manageable and lengthen their profession spans.
The price of Check match tickets in England is at present between round 90 and 160 kilos – costly in most individuals’s price range! Worth for cash subsequently must be a consideration.
Finally, the sale worth of broadcasting rights could also be dented if overs obtained is left unrestricted. Since that is what funds skilled cricket the world over, this additionally wants contemplating.
A lot of the sport’s guidelines and laws exist to impose penalties for sure actions. In distinction, this proposed stipulation could be there to keep away from sure conditions occurring (as outlined) for the advantage of spectators, whereas additionally contributing to the well being of this “pinnacle” format of the sport.
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The preliminary criticism – by Starfighter, famous above – motivated a great deal of analysis into the 200 over restrict rule positioned on the mixed first innings of CTY CHAMP matches of the Seventies, and in addition another experiments made in the course of the Nineteen Sixties by means of to the late-Eighties. This investigation was largely carried out by Bruce Kempen, a London-based researcher accessing all related again problems with The Cricketer journal in addition to editions of the annual Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack – these, seemingly, being the 2 greatest sources.
Total Success of the Comparable Rule Utilized in CTY CHAMP Matches
From begin of the 1974 English season, by means of to finish of the 1980 season, there was a restrict positioned of 200 overs for the groups’ mixed first innings within the county championship matches. The group batting first was restricted to a most of 100 overs, and any overs of the quota not used up have been then added to the opposite group’s first innings quota, which gave an incentive for bowlers to seek for wickets. This regulation was “obtained properly sufficient by the gamers.”
In regard to its primary goals, this rule may be counted as successful. These goals being to:
encourage attacking play and decrease the frequency of attracts, and
scale back the all too widespread apply of collusion between the captains, utilizing declarations to arrange a final day run chase – in an try to get hold of a constructive outcome, following an instructional couple of days solely searching for bonus factors.
It was additionally thought by EW Swanton, supported by another commentators, that it will “carry again spin bowling with a stretching of the second innings.”
Collusion between captains grew to become much less widespread on account of imposing this rule – “extra real, uncontrived, outcomes” – and it did reduce down materially (slightly than simply trivially) on the excessive proportion of attracts. In a overview article of December 1983 by the Hampshire captain, Nick Pocock, he famous there had been a return to a great deal of collusion between captains following the elimination of the 100 Overs regulation – once more, in order to attempt to get a constructive outcome within the three-day matches.
The stats on the proportion of drawn county matches present a fabric discount, of 11% in proportional phrases, for the seven seasons when the overs limitation was being utilized:
Previous to the rule, from 1967-73: 52.3% drawn matches
Through the rule, 7 seasons from 1974-80: 46.9% of attracts
Afterwards, from 1981-87: 53.0% of attracts
(ie earlier than 4-day matches have been phased in throughout 1988-93)
Nevertheless, inconclusive outcomes have been endemic with two innings a aspect 3-day matches, given the scarcity of potential taking part in time and the inroads made by typical English spring/summer time climate.
At their assembly in February 1981, the Check and County Cricket Board (TCCB) voted to dispense with the primary innings limitation for county matches as from the beginning of that season.
By his printed lectures at Cambridge College in 1961, Edward Hallett Carr has taught us that historical past inevitably includes interpretation, not simply easy use of an meeting of what are deemed to be factual supplies.
To cite him:
To reward a historian for his accuracy is like praising an architect for utilizing well-seasoned timber in his constructing. It’s a crucial situation of his work, however not his important operate…In fact, information and paperwork are wanted by the historian. However they don’t, by themselves, represent historical past. Historical past means interpretation.
E. H. Carr, What’s Historical past? Penguin Books,Second version 1987 (pages 10-11).
My interpretation of Bruce Kempen’s analysis (as set out in Appendix I) is that this restriction of overs for first innings was dropped not due to the truth that some county representatives thought of it discouraged the fielding aspect from attacking within the first innings – which is itself slightly stunning as Assessments sides are sometimes dismissed for lower than 100 overs of their first innings.
By my depend, in the course of the interval of this limitation on overs delivered, England succumbed in Assessments of their first innings for below 100 overs on 31 events in the course of the 72 matches, slightly greater than half of which have been of below 80 overs period (17 circumstances).
Fairly, it was dropped given that the Board itself printed about their resolution: “We’ve made the change within the hope that potential Check cricketers can play in the absolute best circumstances.”
This rationalization hyperlinks tothe level that quite a lot of county representatives thought this restriction on variety of overs typically had an adversarial impact on center order batsmen, inducing them to assault earlier than getting settled-in, and that it labored towards spin bowlers (within the first innings). It was the insidious need to deal with the CTY CHAMP as a preparation for potential Check gamers that appears to have been the basic motive for the abolition of this regulation.
It may be argued that if the CTY CHAMP have been to be handled as a contest for its personal sake, with gamers rising as Check match materials by the way because it have been, then a restrict of 100 overs was not stringent, or extreme, sufficient – particularly for the intention of decreasing the incidence of attracts. Certainly, it had a more durable forebear, as mentioned shortly.
4-day matches have been launched, together with “full masking” of pitches (ie throughout any gaps in play because of unhealthy climate in addition to in a single day) primarily to supply a greater format for grooming potential gamers for the nationwide aspect. Utilizing the County Championship for this goal was a powerful under-current within the TCCB’s considering in the course of the Seventies proper by means of to the ’90s and has persevered below the ECB (changing the TCCB initially of 1997).
In March 1993, Simon Heffer (deputy editor of the UK’s Spectator journal) noticed:
“Lately, cricket authorities have performed nothing to advertise the county sport. It has now been lowered to a coaching camp for the nationwide aspect. The principal motive for extending county matches to 4 days, it’s alleged, is to higher put together them for his or her prime goal in life – taking part in for England. It’s going to be certain that that the monetary losses skilled by county golf equipment are even bigger – an absurdity!”
This mentality of utilizing county matches for getting ready gamers for Check cricket additionally underlay the TCCB’s directions to the counties to arrange higher pitches for batting on – dry, exhausting, quick and true (extra dependable) ones. There have been repeated exhortations made to the counties to arrange such pitches, with them expressing commitments which, normally, didn’t quantity to a lot in apply.
In parallel, the TCCB took a choice to usher in full masking of pitches (as famous above) – which had been necessary apply for all Assessments in England since 1979, after a staged introduction. It was additionally hoped that the prolonged scheduled of play in county matches – the additional day – would encourage spin bowlers, no less than on the final day with an anticipated sporting and turning pitch.
Within the June 1988 concern of The Cricketer journal, Christopher Martin-Jenkins wrote:
“On the experiment with four-day matches: the hope {realised} is that it’ll encourage spinners by giving them some sporting pitches to take advantage of in the direction of the tip of the video games.”
Off-break staples in Greenhough’s taking part in days have been: Jim Laker (Assessments from 1948-59) with 193 victims – 2.2 per innings – at a distress value of 21.2 runs apiece; Roy Tattersall (16 Assessments from 1951-54); Fred Titmus (Assessments from 1955-75) with 153 wickets at 1.7 per innings, captured at 32.2 runs apiece; Ray Illingworth (Assessments from 1958-73), 122 wickets at 1.2 per innings, costing 31.2 runs apiece; and David Allen (Assessments from 1960-66), additionally taking 122 wickets, doing so at 1.9 per innings at a value of 30.9 runs apiece.
Throughout this era of the mid-Nineteen Sixties by means of to the late-Eighties, numerous ranges of fines have been tried in a typically unsuccessful endeavour to lift the sluggish over fee. And the frequency of drawn CTY CHAMP four-day matches as much as the tip of the 2024 season, though considerably decrease than for the earlier three-dayers, averaged an unhealthy 39%.
A minimum of one distinguished commentator – former Check participant, Derek Pringle – has lately referred to as for a reversion to three-day county matches and uncovered pitches, and to neglect in regards to the long-held intention of creating the championship principally a method of getting ready Check gamers. That is, anyway, now a fraught intention with the appearance of “central contracts” from season 2000 and with the England selectors paying little consideration to how gamers are performing in county matches. Make the county matches fascinating and pleasing for their very own sake, Pringle urges. (The Case for Three-Day Cricket: article showing in The Cricketer journal, Summer season 2025.)
A Draconian Forebear
The “200 overs for either side mixed” regulation had a draconian forebear. In 1966, a restriction of a most of 65 overs for CTY CHAMP matches was imposed on every group’s first innings. This adopted a choice taken that March by the Advisory County Cricket Committee (primarily based on a suggestion of a particular sub-committee).
Billed as an “experiment”, it wasn’t utilized proper throughout the board, however slightly to every county’s preliminary 12 matches towards opposition they performed twice – which coated simply over two-fifths of all of the Championship matches (102 of 238 matches). There was no restrict on the variety of overs {that a} given bowler might ship in these innings.
The underlying causes given by the Committee for imposing this rule have been to:
(a) Give spectators extra leisure on the primary day, as they might be capable to see either side bat.
Noting: “The drop in attendances calls for a critical try to discover a treatment.” The combination determine for 1965 (excluding vacationer matches) was 659,560, this being the bottom of any 12 months since data had been stored. The common gate for 1963-65 was 25% beneath that for 1960-62 which, in flip, was 17% down on 1957-59.
(b) Encourage the usage of spin bowling within the second innings, as these innings will sometimes be longer.
(c) Encourage the preparation of fine pitches, with the second innings normally being longer than the primary – being identified as redundant as each county had already pledged to supply such pitches.
The low normal of pitch preparation was famous as a priority. “Pitches must be introduced again to a excessive normal to provide an identical variety of top-class gamers as there have been earlier than WW2.
Former Check participant Tony Lewis thought of the transfer was an try to get out of the rut. “It has gone to the guts of the matter and I anticipate the most effective outcomes.” He prompt that, on an actual turner of a pitch, one may see an off-spinner with 7, and even 8, fielders on the leg aspect. He anticipated the 65 overs restrict to profit batsmen with the widest vary of strokes and who carry out properly below stress.
The criticisms of county cricket, at the moment, centred on:
The primary innings of each groups had turn out to be a protracted manoeuvre with resultant uninteresting play on the preliminary two days.
Lack of spectator attraction: attendances had frequently declined over time.
Substantial monetary losses have been being incurred yearly by the Counties.
Doug Insole, then Chairman of Check Selectors, famous: “This experiment has lengthy been beneficial by some counties, and it’s most likely proper that it must be put to the take a look at.”
There have been quite a lot of sceptics, and a few have been downright against it – essentially the most trenchant critic prematurely of its implementation being Jim Swanton.
Come mid-season, Tony Lewis reported: “The anti-65 Over regulation voices are growing and booming. Why ought to the weaker aspect be stored within the sport by this synthetic restriction?”
He continued: “It has produced a bizarre trend of slogging…a sequence of undignified slogs over the past 10-15 overs; and in addition produced a climax on the primary day, slightly than late within the sport when victory is to be gained or denied.”
After-the-event statistics confirmed:
Almost two-thirds of the 101 matches below the 65 Over rule produced a particular outcome – that’s, 61 of them, or 60.4% – with an additional 40 matches being drawn (ignoring one deserted match with none play happening).
This in contrast with 54.6% for the opposite 130 matches performed as much as finish of August that 12 months with out the restriction. The proportions for the earlier three years being: 1965: 51.7%; 1964: 58.0%; and 1963: 51.7%.
The common for the three years, 1963-65, being 53.8%, which is 11% decrease than for the 65 Over rule that utilized to matches in 1966. So the rule produced a considerable enhance within the frequency of constructive outcomes.
Additionally of curiosity:
For almost half of the matches below this rule, 46 of the 101, particular outcomes occurred with no third-innings declaration.
Little or no benefit was gained by the aspect having first use of the pitch.
Solely as soon as did a aspect get to 300 on first innings, and solely 11 batsmen scored a century in these regulated matches (a number of of the batsmen doing so a number of occasions, producing 15 centuries in whole).
Wisden highlighted:
“Opposition to the 65 Over experiment was primarily as a result of drawback it set the middle-order batsmen. They typically couldn’t settle all the way down to construct an innings and needed to push the rating alongside earlier than being prepared to take action.”
Additionally: “It favoured the weaker bowling sides, and a premium was placed on a damaging assault and supporting subject placings to maintain the rating down, slightly than endeavouring to dismiss the opposition.”
On the Advisory County Cricket Committee assembly in November that 12 months (1966), the choice was taken to discontinue the 65 Over first innings experiment, reflecting the adversarial feedback already referred to.
Nonetheless, greater than two and a half a long time later, in 1991 Ted Lester, the previous Yorkshire County batsman and subsequent scorer, prompt a restrict on first innings within the CTY CHAMP as little as 60 overs.
(A forceful and entertaining proper hand batsman, Ted Lester performed 347 innings in first-class matches between 1945 and 1956, when age 22 to 33 – averaging 34.2 per accomplished innings with 25 centuries. Afterwards scoring for the county by means of to 1992.)
Pursuing the theme of wanting to finish the contrived county match finishes, Lester mentioned:
Contrived finishes have performed nothing to arrest both the decline in county membership ranges or the discount in paying spectators on the grounds.
The current Championship matches normally comprise two days taking part in for bonus factors, with the third day producing a model of cricket extra akin to the one-day sport.
He advocated a restrict of solely 60 overs for every group’s first innings, together with prolonged hours of play on the primary day, in order to finish each first innings (with bonus factors to be awarded to the group forward on first innings). Saying: One might then proceed usually on the second and third days with out recourse to any type of contrivance.
He additionally proposed to limit the variety of batsmen collaborating within the first innings, suggesting that solely 6 be allowed; therefore, the innings could be closed after the autumn of the fifth wicket. This, he thought, would encourage bowlers to assault, in addition to scale back the period of time consumed earlier than the second innings received underway.
Lester additionally needed to eradicate the standard coin toss earlier than play. Selection of whether or not to bat or bowl first could be the prerogative of the visiting group – to stop pitch preparation to go well with the strengths of the house group. And he would give the group main on first innings the selection of batting or bowling subsequent.
To Conclude on the Two Limits Positioned on Variety of Overs in CTY CHAMP Matches
Each the 1966 and 1974-81 limits positioned on first innings in CTY CHAMP matches had useful results and properly as some drawbacks. It demonstrated that trade-offs are, inevitably, concerned in such tried reforms, and reinforce the purpose that no measures aimed toward injecting extra life into these county matches have been going to be an ideal resolution.
The seek for a super resolution needs to be seen in relation to the acknowledged goals. This was illustrated in November 1966 when the Advisory County Cricket Committee – in contemplating potential reforms for county cricket – specified the principal goals to be as follows:
To supply the very best potential normal of play.
To offer a type of leisure that may attraction to spectators and be out there when the bulk can be found to attend.
To enhance the monetary place of all counties, and significantly these which are at present in difficulties.
Subsequently…to Most Latest Instances
The English County Championship subsequently developed to be in a comparatively good place, particularly in season 2019 – simply earlier than Covid struck – producing many fascinating and extremely pleasing matches. Certainly, a lot “thrilling pleasure” was available. However the Championship befell significantly worse than Covid in 2021 with the introduction of The Hundred (home) competitors, and it has been in a veritable pickle ever since!
