IAN CHAPPELL

You often hear cricket officials say; “We believe in the primacy of Test cricket.” The question is whether cricket fans believe that occasionally expressed sentiment. It is mighty hard for fans to become believers when within the same week, the BCCI refuses to play a Day/night Test at the Adelaide Oval and the Australian Board cancels a proposed home series against Bangladesh.

The BCCI’S decision was disappointing, as Adelaide has become the unofficial home of D/N Test cricket. Three years of success under lights at Adelaide Oval was expected to be further enhanced by the presence of a strong Indian team. However, the Indian Board’s refusal to participate further strengthens the opinion of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating, who argued; “Always back self-interest because you know it’s a goer.”

No matter what excuse the BCCI offers, it’s hard to accept that this decision was anything other than looking to increase India’s chances of winning a first ever Test series in Australia against a weakened opponent.

Nowhere can I find even a hint of it being in “the best interests of the game.” Just like coloured citizens in parts of Southern America in the early fifties, “the best interests of the game” has taken a back seat on the bus. In an age of T20 leagues, Test cricket needs all the nurturing on offer from the officials if it is to survive this influx. D/N Test cricket in centres where it’s viable is a must if the long form is to have a future in a market which is becoming ever more competitive and where the officials are constantly looking for ways to compress the game.

Apart from the obvious advan-