The 2020 edition of the Wisden Almanack criticises the possible implementation of four-day Test cricket.

The ICC has proposed the idea of making World Test Championship fixtures four-day affairs from 2023.

In 2017, the game’s governing body allowed for boards to schedule four-day Tests between one another on a trial basis; England and Ireland bucked five-day tradition themselves when they played each other at Lord’s last summer.

In his editor’s notes for the 2020 Wisden Almanack, the 157th edition of the famous yellow book,  Lawrence Booth argues that Test cricket loses its “essence” by discarding a day’s play.

“Cricket is already full of limited-overs formats,” wrote Booth. “Uniquely, the five-day Test incorporates timelessness: more than any other sporting contest, it reveals character. A game can be unfinished and majestic, like La Sagrada Familia, or hurry to its demise, like a row of dominoes. Test cricket is merciless, fragile and fascinating. To lose a day would be to lose its essence. Cricket has had enough of dumbing down.

“Shorten the Test match, and cricket’s greatest gift to civilisation will disappear for good. And for what? A little more space in the calendar, quickly filled by the next frippery.”

Booth does concede that “four-day Tests do make sense in certain circumstances,” stating that “England v Ireland last summer worked fine”.

The Almanack consequently shares the view of another historic cricket institution, the MCC. In January, the custodians of the laws of the game released a statement which read: “The MCC cricket committee and MCC world cricket committee have recently discussed the issue and although they can see some benefits that four-day Test cricket could bring, both committees believe that Test cricket should continue to be played over five days.”