Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

I have been incredibly entertained by the ODI series against Ireland but is a 3-2 ODI showing against another Associate team a sign of potential Test status?

They have a very good T20 side and a better infrastructure than ever before....but is now the time?

Yes.

I've said yes. Though I actually think no is probably more accurate.

Thing is though , new teams never are "ready" for Test Cricket - just look at the early (and not so early) struggles of the more recently admitted teams.
If we want to see any expansion of the Test Match category , the next candidates really have to be thrown in and allowed to find their way...whether now , or in five years time.
Guess if they want to redesign the future tours schedule and set up a Test Championship (and I'm not by any means convinced that is practical or desirable , myself - but I'm a dinosaur ) , then it is a good time for additions...

In terms of infastructure, yes.
In terms of playing standards, not yet.

But it's time for international cricket to expand and nations who desire test status should be encouraged at every opportunity to achieve it.

would teams be willing to travel to afghanistan for high profile series given pakistan is still not hosting home international games ?

rich1uk wrote:would teams be willing to travel to afghanistan for high profile series given pakistan is still not hosting home international games ?

They be playing in india if they were a test team.
Afghanistan got a stadium in Delhi.
BCCI/Government have given them a base in Greather Noida.

Both the main team and the Emerging team comfortably beat their opponents today. Big things to come?

Know it's a different medium but last night showed a HUGE gulf.

The Professor wrote:Know it's a different medium but last night showed a HUGE gulf.

They were missing their two best batsmen to be fair...

How many bilateral series have Afghanistan played against top 9 sides? They've never played an international in WI before. The curve is very steep.

It looks like they've played one bilateral series ever in any format, v a top 9 side, v BD.

Not yet ready.

But no teams who have never played test cricket will ever be. They have to start somewhere, and i guess they can't until they are given test status. I think Ireland deserve test status ahead of Afghanistan.

Adi wrote:Not yet ready.

But no teams who have never played test cricket will ever be. They have to start somewhere, and i guess they can't until they are given test status. I think Ireland deserve test status ahead of Afghanistan.

Ireland are terrible.

dan08 wrote:

Adi wrote:Not yet ready.

But no teams who have never played test cricket will ever be. They have to start somewhere, and i guess they can't until they are given test status. I think Ireland deserve test status ahead of Afghanistan.

Ireland are terrible.

FIne, however imo Ireland have better test match players than Afghanistan.

dan08 wrote:

The Professor wrote:Know it's a different medium but last night showed a HUGE gulf.

They were missing their two best batsmen to be fair...

That's true, Dan...and the excuses/reasons don't stop there.

Due to the Heat I really struggled to sleep last night so ended up listening to the West Indian commentary of this and even they flagged up some of the mitigating factors behind Afghanistan's performances.

One reason, as you have said, is the loss of the batsmen, especially Shahzad. You take out a batsman with a T20 average of 30+ out of an Associate team unexpectedly it will send them reeling.

Also the manner of arrival hasn't helped them at all. They have arrived under, what one commentator called "maximum jet lag." A majority of the team arrived together and did so where they left Pakistan at dusk and arrived in the West Indies still in the early hours of the same evening evening. This has meant that their body clock has been totally modded. This, however, can only be an excuse for so long - it would suggest by the One Day games, parity might ensue.

The pitch has been a huge factor in this too. For all of the criticism we give the West Indies, even their weakened side in this squad still have big batting skills. This is a hugely batting wicket. As I said above, Afghanistan have had the heart of their batting attack removed from them so it is already a huge advantage to the home team.