“I feared (for the future) in the Ashes, actually. The crowds were quite disappointing in general.”
That was Moeen Ali speaking about the second-most attended Ashes series in cricket history. No, really.
Moeen isn’t the first person to publicly voice concerns over the viability of cricket’s longest format – and he certainly won’t be the last – but it would have been nice of him to have some genuine evidence to back up his statement.
Speaking about the future of Test cricket, Moeen had plenty to say about the recently-concluded Ashes series, not much of it positive.
“It’s been a worry for a while but Australia really opened my eyes. I found it disappointing,” he said.
“I feared (for the future) in the Ashes, actually. The crowds were quite disappointing in general.
“There were a couple of days — Boxing Day, the first day of the series — but even when they won the Ashes there weren’t that many people celebrating.
“That’s when I thought, ‘Actually, we’re struggling a bit’. We’re very lucky in England — after being all around the world and seeing the crowds everywhere else, we’ve got the best fans, we’ve got full houses most of the time.
“But I think the Big Bash had bigger crowds than the Ashes. That’s great for T20 but for Test matches it’s a massive worry.”
For the record, just under 200,000 fans attended the day-night Test in Adelaide (the final number was 199,147) and over 250,000 punters packed into the MCG over the course of the Boxing Day Test, despite that fixture being one of the most tedious cricketing spectacles seen in this country in recent times, on account of a lifeless pitch.
The Adelaide figure made the second Ashes Test the most-attended cricket match ever at the Adelaide Oval, while the MCG number was the second-highest in the history of Boxing Day Tests.
Now, it’s probably not too much of a stretch to say English crowds will produce sell-outs more frequently than what we see in Australia. But that can be attributed to the disparity in ground capacity between the two countries.
English venues like The Oval (24,500), Lord’s (30,000) and Old Trafford (26,000) are dwarfed by their Australian equivalents; the MCG holds over 100,000 fans, while the SCG (46,000), Gabba (42,000) and Adelaide Oval (53,500) are all far larger than your average Test cricket venue in the UK.
Does Test cricket have something to worry about? Of course it does.
But ill-informed comments from cricket stars bemoaning its future aren’t going to help.
John Erichsen
Roar Guru
Has his career ended? Nope. His double at the MCG has bought Cook as many tests as he desires to play. You and I both know he isn't even close to the batman he used to be. A concrete slab at the MCG and Starc-less bowling attack, it may have been, but Cook's test career is in no danger of ending anytime soon.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
The grapes are sour in England it seems!
Basil
Guest
Hales isn't good enough for red ball cricket anyway and was a total flop when playing in the BBL for the Strikers.
Warnie's Love Child
Guest
You mean the selectors think he is the reincarnation of W G Grace ?
DavSA
Guest
Test cricket is in no danger of dying and from my perspective is as healthy as ever despite having so much competition for fans attention from other formats. When Australia play against SA in Durban the venue will be full. The reason is simple . Fans love a tough challenge . The Aussie crowds may have been more subdued than what Ali expected but I suspect it had more to do with the relative lack of top end competitiveness from England than much else. Also where are the characters in the England team . The Bothams , Pietersens etc.They bring in the numbers by sheer presence., Stokes would have made a diffs here but ..England are soo boring at the moment.
damo
Guest
Lol thought the exact same thing. My wife loves the Barmy Army, thinks I'm a party pooper for not doing the wave & loves to attend in fancy dress & collect autographs. I gave in to the fancy dress (I was the world's largest Minion in a costume onesy at the Aus v SA Adelaide Test a few years back) & admire the Barmy Army but do not wish to mimic them. I think Aussie crowds strong points are witty quips, sarcastic sledges & appreciation of good cricket no matter who performs it. Ali sounds like a guy looking for a reason to be somewhere else at this point. It would come as no surprise to me if he gave the red ball a miss in future which would be a pity because he's a very good player.
Rats
Guest
Yep.. I started watching test cricket when I was 12.. I am 33 now. test cricket doesn't bore and I have a life and family. :-)
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Ridiculous comments by Ali, the crowds in general were great. Australia has along with India the largest cricket venues in the World, Australia is one of the few countries that get good crowds for Test cricket. He should focus on his game instead of trotting out this bollox.
Minz
Guest
I started watching test cricket at 10...
Peter who
Guest
A lot of people on here are very aggressive, keyboard warriors.....just because an England cricketer says something about our crowds. Geez. Read your comments and lighten up a bit .
The Barnes family.
Guest
Have you not seen his beard?
Rats
Guest
Wrong sir.. people who love the sport love them because of test cricket. We are still the majority. T20 fans are not going to be loyal to the sport. A 12 year old T20 fan right now wouldn't be watching cricket when he is 22. T20 is boring. It doesn't stay in people's memory. Too many similar kind of matches.
ThugbyFan
Guest
Was Moeen Ali talking about the size of the crowds in the Ashes series, or the enthusiasm of the crowd? I sort of read his comments more in light of the latter. English crowds will carry on all day and make a day at the cricket quite fun, even if they are exceedingly one-eyed; witness the Balmy Army and the fun and joy they bring to the contest.
Bakkies
Guest
From memory Rashid has had injuries. I have heard that there are spinners getting good numbers however it is hard to gauge the quality of the batting as there are a lot of teams and two divisions. It's hard in Australia as Warne and Lyon have got carted in domestic Cricket and blokes who have done well in the Shield have been turned over more than Warnie's mátress at the sélection table. As for Hales Alec Swann might know more. Do the England selectors have a plan for blokes like him? The last thing is you want to see another Jaques and Cosgrove (33 years old with 13,000 first class runs) fall by the way side as the selectors show them no way back. Pigeonhole yourself to earn the money. A lot of the Australian players over the past twenty years have been dropped including Clarke, Ponting, Hayden, Langer, Smith, Martyn, Steve Waugh, Slater before we even discuss the blokes who got in than passed. They need to say that you can get back in even if it means missing a BBL and playing Shield or Grade Cricket in Australia to score runs and toughen up. I see Jason Roy as a player who could play test Cricket but miss the boat. Warner and Sehwag have shown that you can score aggressively with a one day mentality in test Cricket.
Bakkies
Guest
You look at the 2013-14 team Carberry (he has had very seriously health issues lately still on a County contract), Tim Bresnan (still only 32 can't see a recall at this stage), Chris Tremlett and KP haven't played for England since that series. Borthwick and Rankin didn't play for England after receiving their first test cap in Sydney. Jake Ball may fit in to that category as Roland Jones and Craig Overton should be fit for the home series along with Overton's brother. Trott and Prior were done with England even though they were selected after the series. Whether you agree with it or not Stokes is back for NZ and I can't see him and Moeen being picked in the same team at Eden Park on a drop in pitch. As for the home series Rashid has given first class Cricket the boot for a while and the other two youngsters including Crane are raw.
Saurebh Gandle
Roar Guru
I agree completely with his statement and honestly I think it's time ICC should provide separate window for IPL and CA has window for BBL not have clash of any test series with BBL.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
I don't blame Rashid for turning his back on red ball cricket. He's been poorly treated by the English Test selectors for years and was just overlooked for the Ashes in favour of a 20yo greenhorn leggie in Crane who gets absolutely smashed everytime he takes to the field. 8 for 869 ....... those are Crane's figures in his eight red-ball matches for England/English Lions in the past four months. Insane.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Cook is becoming like Shane Watson was as a Test batsman for years - struggling when it matters and then saving his bacon with a ton in a situation of low-importance. In Cook's last 30 Tests innings he has made two tons - both doubles - which were about as low in value as a double ton can possibly be. One in an Ashes dead rubber on an ICC-condemned uber-road at the MCG, and the other against the Windies, a Test attack so poor that SMarsh and Voges made a 449-run stand against them. In his other 28 innings in that time Cook has averaged just 24. I think he's a long, long way past his best as a Test batsman.
Simoc
Guest
I guess you must be 85years plus Rats. Test cricket is for the likes of you. Kids don't want it. Its boring as if you have a life to live.
josh
Roar Rookie
Old Moey's probably referring to the crowds on days Australia will win the test. Australians don't turn up to watch Tests on Mondays or Tuesdays. We turn up on the other days. Pull ya head in Moe.