Michael Vaughan:
"I like the idea of trialling four-day cricket and I have no doubt in the future the [Test] league will be based on four days. The average Test match lasts for 331 overs. Yes, we still have great fifth days. We have had drama on the last day in recent years, particularly at Headingley this summer when West Indies beat England, but the majority of matches finish inside four days. Teams will have to play four-day cricket a bit differently. They might have to declare and set a game up if it rains. You do that in four-day first-class cricket already. I can understand those that say Test cricket is the greatest format because it is the only level of the game when you play over five days. It requires different skills but the bigger picture is scheduling and the amount of money lost on the fifth day when grounds are empty. The powers that be keep telling me that they lose money on the last day. Make that public then people might understand a little bit more."
http://www.espncricinfo.com/story/_/id/ ... st-cricketDean Elgar:
"If you play in Australia, if you play in England, even if you play in South Africa against the relatively big nations you still get very good crowds."
I think that's the issue. Test cricket only draws good crowds in the Ashes countries, and only occasionally in South Africa and India when big teams play. There's a strong case for all other Tests, which have small crowds, to be played over four days.