England great's brutal takedown of 'ridiculous' idea

9 months ago 70

Former England accelerated bowler Steve Harmison has fired backmost astatine suggestions a reserve time should beryllium incorporated into Test cricket aft a washed retired 4th Ashes Test helped Australia clasp the urn.

England was successful the cleanable presumption to level the bid astatine Old Trafford, nevertheless rainfall connected time 4 and 5 cruelled those chances.

Following the decision of the Test, Australian cult leader Brad Hogg floated the thought of a reserve day, akin to the six-day operation successful the World Test Championship.

"You tin person a reserve day," Hogg told talkSPORT.

Ben Stokes astatine the post-match presentation. (Getty)

"I deliberation they should person said, 'There's a accidental of rainfall present astatine Old Trafford. A immense accidental of rain, truthful we whitethorn enactment a remainder time present and propulsion the adjacent Test lucifer different time later'.

"We privation to marque definite we're going into the last Test lucifer with an accidental of some teams being 2-2 and we privation that item going into the past Test match.

"And present we person conscionable missed that opportunity."

Speaking connected talkSPORT's Following On Cricket Podcast, Harmison slammed the idea.

"Honestly I can't get my caput astir immoderate of the worldly that's travel out, I can't get my caput astir immoderate of the radical who person said 'I deliberation we should person a reserve day'," helium said.

"The crippled lasts 5 days, an Ashes bid is implicit 5 trial matches."

Pat Cummins battles with the upwind astatine the 4th Test. (Getty)

The 63-Test typical went connected to criticise England for failing to capitalise aboriginal successful the series, referring to performances arsenic a "mess".

"England haven't mislaid the Ashes due to the fact that of 2 bedewed days successful Manchester," helium said.

"England person mislaid the Ashes due to the fact that they've made a messiness of what happened successful Test lucifer 1 and Test lucifer two, with mistakes they've made.

Every shot of the Ashes volition beryllium live, escaped and exclusive on 9Now, and if you miss immoderate of the enactment you tin find afloat highlights and exclusive replays aft each day's play here

"Saying that determination should beryllium a reserve day, adjacent successful Ashes cricket, I deliberation is ridiculous.

"Not agelong agone (coach) Brendon McCullum and (captain) Ben Stokes came into this Test lucifer arena (and) blew the doors disconnected and wrong three, 4 Test matches were asking for 4 time Test matches ... present we privation to marque it six, this is conscionable madness.

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"We suffer the Ashes and it's region cricket's fault, we suffer the Ashes and it's the Duke shot oregon the Kookaburra ball's fault, present we're extending Test matches due to the fact that we had 2 days of rain."

Discussion implicit alteration to the Test lucifer cricket operation came aft Joe Root suggested to the BBC they should "play until the overs are bowled" due to the fact that "it doesn't get acheronian until 10pm present successful the summer".

Post-Test, Stokes poured acold h2o connected the proposition of a reserve day.

"This is simply a pugnacious mode to not beryllium capable to get the urn backmost but I astir apt wouldn't beryllium connected the broadside of saying determination should beryllium reserve days. Test cricket is 5 days," helium told Sky Sports.

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