Two-Test series 'pointless' - Harris
Australian fast bowler Ryan Harris said Thursday two-Test series were
pointless and the International Cricket Council needed to get their
priorities right.
Fourth-ranked Australia are gearing for their third consecutive
shortened Test series against New Zealand next week and Harris said it
was a terrible blight on what he considers to be the most important form
of the game.
Australian and South African players called for a third-match decider
after their gripping two-Test series was deadlocked by the tourists'
thrilling two-wicket win in Johannesburg this week.
Minimum
Harris said three-Test series should be a minimum for traditional
international rivals and called for Twenty20 matches to be slashed to
accommodate the five-day game. "Two-Test series, personally in my point
of view, are pointless," he told reporters. "If it's 1-1 at the end of
the series you walk away with an empty feeling.
"Three-Test series have to be a minimum, if not more. "It's crucial.
I'm not sure how they do it with the amount of cricket there is -
cut-backs from Twenty20 - but Test cricket is the one.
Twenty20
"I'm not knocking Twenty20, it's great for the game, but you have to
get your priorities right."
Harris, treating a hip injury to play against New Zealand at the
Gabba, said the Black Caps had once again been given just two matches in
Australia against their biggest rivals.
New Zealand will play in Brisbane, starting next Thursday, and Hobart
before Australia start a lucrative four-Test series against
second-ranked India, starting on Boxing Day in Melbourne.
"For two of the best Test cricket nations (Australia and third-ranked
South Africa) not being able to play a three-Test series is very
disappointing. It was terrible," Harris said.
New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor said while it was disappointing for
the Black Caps to have been been given two Tests in Australia, the onus
was on his eighth-ranked team to warrant a longer series through
improved performances.
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