Andrew McDonald: ‘Two-Test sequence ought to be placed on the again burner’

McDonald isn’t a fan of the two-match sequence, which is the minimal requirement for these performed below the World Test Championship, and is normally the utmost size for a sequence outdoors of these involving no less than considered one of Australia, England and India.

Ashes sequence stay over 5 matches whereas the Border-Gavaskar contest will increase to that quantity when India tour Australia in 2024-25, and McDonald wish to see an extra recreation added to different sequence too.

“I’d encourage that the minimum number of Tests against a nation should be three,” he mentioned. “I think two-Test-match series should be put on the back burner and that would show the importance of Test cricket to every nation if it was a minimum of three Test matches.”

Australia’s subsequent residence season will characteristic a three-match sequence in opposition to Pakistan and two matches in opposition to West Indies earlier than a tour of New Zealand that additionally options two Tests.

McDonald was additionally requested in regards to the potential for Ashes sequence to be performed over six Tests, as they’ve been at earlier instances in historical past, on condition that Australia and England had each performed that variety of video games during the last two months, with respective matches in opposition to India and Ireland.

He quipped at whether or not England had been requested their views, referencing their stances on varied points about how the sport is likely to be performed, however acknowledged scheduling could be a problem.

“Did you ask that question to England, because they’re usually the ones that are I suppose forecasting what the rules should be going forward in the laws of the game,” he mentioned. “I think a six-Test-match series, now that we’ve had a drawn series, it’s like the two-Test series against certain nations when it ends up one-all you walk away from that thinking ‘geez, what about another one’.

“I do not know the place it suits, although. I feel that is in all probability a query for [ICC’s] Geoff Allardice and Wasim Khan.”

When pushed to reflect on the drawn Ashes and the gripping nature of the series, McDonald acknowledged it had been fantastic viewing even though Australia had been unable to turn their 2-0 lead into a first series win in England since 2001.

“There was two contrasting types coming in and it simply reveals you that you do not have to play a method in Test-match cricket. And I feel that was charming for most individuals on the skin,” he said. “Even if it was 3-1 and we would received that, or it was 3-1 to England, the entire manner that each groups went about it – Pat [Cummins] main our facet, Ben [Stokes] main England, the way in which the groups ready and went about their work – [they] had some key choice to make in choice, all of it meshed into this bizarre sequence. It was fascinating.”

The series was played to full houses throughout and though those crowds were, as would be expected, massively in favour of England, McDonald understood that the support for Test cricket could only be a good thing.

“You love seeing folks line up the gates, and also you get to the bottom within the morning and there is only a murmur, there is a buzz,” he said. “And they’re eager to go and watch a Test match. To me, that is actually necessary for the panorama of Test-match cricket.

“It was exciting, and there were a lot of English supporters who said well done and congratulations, so I think it captivated a nation. I think it captivated our nation as well, and I think that’s a real positive thing for Test cricket.”