Dennis Lillee backs Test cricket

Dennis Lillee backs Test cricket

Dennis Lillee has backed Test cricket to continue to thrive as the pinnacle of the game despite the explosion of interest in T20.

Former Australia captain Greg Chappell outlined his concerns about the future of Test cricket on Thursday, suggesting the longest form of the game is under threat from the shortest.

Ever since the emergence of the newest form of the game in 2003, Twenty20 has been grabbing a progressively bigger slice of the International Cricket Council's schedule.

The cricket community's interest in the bash-and-crash format has also continued to build on the back of the introduction of the World Twenty20, Indian Premier League and the Airtel Champions League.

Super Selector is all geared up for the India Vs Sri Lanka series. Have you selected your test team in the new Super Selector? Hurry! Register now and win exciting prizes.

Lillee, speaking ahead of tomorrow night's Twenty20 clash between the All-Stars and Australia, was confident the traditional format had a bright future.

"Something that has lasted for what nearly 150 years now, I don't think it's in danger in the short term," Lillee said.

"It may become shorter, they're talking about it at night - I say it will change a bit but it will still be the true test of cricketer's skills - as cricket was meant to be."

Lillee, a legend of Australian cricket throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, believed it was the unique character of Test cricket that would ensure its lifeblood.

"The other games are fantastic, Twenty20 is a great game, one-day cricket is a fantastic game - and that's nearly 50-years-old now," he added.

"Test cricket, to me, was designed to test the skills of great players over a period of time -around five days.

"Everything varies so much in that time, so different players come into it at different times, you've got to assess the pitch and play differently."

Lillee will enter the world of coaching as a one-off to launch Australia's summer of cricket this weekend.

The Western Australia Cricket Association president will take the reins of a talent-laden side, with domestic cricket's best lining up alongside recent retirees Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne.

Warne, who has not rolled his arm over since captaining the Rajasthan Royals in the 2009 IPL season, was looking forward to making a short comeback at the Gabba alongside Hayden, Gilchrist and McGrath.

"It's a great concept and it should be a good game," he said.

Grab the espnstar.com cricket widget on your favourite social network


Powered by Disqus
  • Join us on Facebook Join us on Facebook


standard
 

  • ESPN is a trademark of ESPN, Inc and STAR is a trademark of Star Television Productions Limited. Trademarks used under license by ESPN STAR Sports.
  • Presented by ESPN, Star Sports, Star Cricket