Atherton fears for future of Tests

Date released: 10 September 2008

Speaking exclusively to Lords.org, former England captain, Michael Atherton says he is "not optimistic about the future for Test cricket" in the wake of the multitude of shorter form tournaments.

Mike Atherton in 2001, during his England Test playing days
Atherton during his England Test captaincy days Atherton, a member of the MCC World Cricket Committee, spoke to one of the Lords.org volunteer commentators, Terry Blake, during the Cockspur Cup Final at Lord's on Tuesday 9 September.

Blake spoke to him about the England central contracts, one-day and Stanford Series squads, announced on Tuesday.

Not optimistic

However, it was on the future of the game that The Times' chief cricket correspondent Atherton, had most to say:

"Twenty20 has changed the face of cricket in the last 12 months.

"Since the advent of the IPL (Indian Premier League) I've felt that it'll fundamentally change the game - for good."

Quote from Michael Atherton: Atherton went on to explain that he fears the IPL, Twenty20 cricket generally and the monies directed towards them may alter the focus of budding young cricketers:

"If you're a young player you're going to want to make sure you're a good Twenty20 player.

"Looking down the line, long-term, I'm not too optimistic about the future for Test cricket."

Pressed by Blake about where the responsibilities lie for protecting the longer form of the game, Atherton was unequivocal:

"The administrators are key. They keep saying they want to protect the primacy of Test cricket but everything they do doesn't back-up that statement.

"There seems to be very little thought about the way the game is structured as we move forward.

"There's lots of Twenty20 tournaments and really no thought given to how the Future Tours programme will look and the balance between the longer form of the game and the short."

Listen in

You can listen to the interview in full, only on Lords.org.

Be sure to tune in to the live commentary on the Bunbury ESCA Day at Lord's on Wednesday 10 September.

It being the final match of the season on the main ground at Lord's a number of famous names have promised to drop in on our commentators.