It’s an argument within an argument. Like a Batman movie where the Riddler is an enigma, wrapped in a riddle, wrapped in lycra.
One question in the debate over the future of Test cricket is not how you make the format interesting, but how you make days two, three, four and five entertaining.
Day one is when the excitement over a test match, especially an Ashes Test match, is at its peak.
Fans are excited, the host city is buzzing with anticipation and the TV and papers are full of discussion about who should be in and who should be out.
Sadly the build-up can often be better than the main event and good day one crowds turn into one man sitting next to the statue of Yabba by day five at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
So how do cricket officials make it a five-day fun-fest and not a one-day wonder?
It’s strange when you think about it in these terms. Test cricket obviously moves at a slower pace than one-day cricket, yet the shorter and faster format is dying.
Fans are happy to go, sit in the stands and applaud politely while batsmen push singles off the square, but put the pyjamas on the players and the world is in uproar.
Perhaps a lack of quality test cricket on Australian shores is a contributing factor because meaningless one-dayers aren’t hard to find. Thank-goodness the seven-match one-day series seems to be a thing of the past.
Maybe administrators should make the price of tickets slide south as every day passes?
Personally, I like day three of a Test match – so that theory works nicely for the Doherty family.
I don’t think it would create a situation where no-one would attend day one while they wait for cheaper tickets.
General admission for the Adelaide test is $33 for every day and the best seat in the house (platinum) is $90.
Gold is $70, silver $50 and bronze $40.
Strangely a child is classed as six to 15 years of age. I’m not sure if I’m on another planet but isn’t the adult age considered 18? Why not at the cricket?
If, for example, gold tickets started at $70 and ended up at $40 by day five I think it would give everyone an opportunity to go to the cricket.
I’m not sure what impact this would have on Cricket Australia’s revenue, but surely every ticket sold is better than an empty seat left unoccupied by someone who was put off by the price.
The prices aren’t as outrageous as other forms of live entertainment in our society, but some of those aren’t struggling for crowds.
The formula may not work for matches against England and India, where fans are likely to flock through the gate regardless of the fact a bottle of soft drink costs half a weeks wage, but when other countries visit, it might be something to think about.
You can follow luke on twitter @luke_doherty and on Sky News Australia.
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