Cricket: Hussain: Why tests are more exciting

By RICHARD BOOCK in Wellington

Nasser Hussain believes one-day internationals and bowler-friendly pitches are behind a trend towards more exciting test cricket.

If New Zealand achieved nothing else in Christchurch last week, Nathan Astle's world-record innings at least caught the public's imagination and raised hopes of a better turnout at the Basin Reserve during the next few days.

It also raised the question of the increased pace at which test cricket is played now, a discussion which gathered more momentum after South Africa's record chase to beat Australia in Durban.

Hussain suggested the trend was not entirely new and that modern pitches were possibly playing a leading role in the phenomenon.

"It's probably just one of those natural progressions that any sport goes through," he said.

"You can look to one-day cricket, which has probably made batsmen aware of just what is possible in terms of scoring rates and run chases these days.

"Players such as Viv Richards and Ian Botham used to play like that, but more are doing it now. The other thing is, since I began playing tests in 1989, the pitches definitely have more in them for bowlers, making five-day draws much less likely."

Hussain said for that reason, test matches now progressed more rapidly and as a result, players possibly felt they had to act quickly to make an impression.

The more urgent approach has even brought calls for tests to be shortened to four days, although Hussain is adamant that the game should be allowed to evolve rather than be artificially shaped by legislation.

"I think we should keep the game the way it is," he said.

"The whole point of test cricket is that conditions change during the match and people have to adapt to that - it's a long, drawn-out game.

"If people want to take the gamble and accelerate in a game then let them have a go at it. But we shouldn't force teams to accelerate or force groundsmen to prepare wickets that won't cause a boring game."

Hussain also wondered whether the more aggressive batting - not only shown by Astle at Christchurch but also Graham Thorpe and Andy Flintoff - may have been caused by improved pitch technology.

"I think this may have something to do with the wickets because the final-day pitch we played on at Christchurch was an absolute belter," he said.

"In the old days these wickets would deteriorate and spin would come into it more. But now with these re-laid wickets and drop-in wickets they may not be deteriorating as much as they used to."

For all that, Hussain warned against expecting a repeat of last week's mayhem at the Basin Reserve, where the permanent pitch this season has earned a reputation for playing low and slow, and producing low-scoring results.

"You never know how people are going to play, but I wouldn't have thought it would be like that again."