The tone of the game flows backwards from the possibility of five days – just look at Dominic Sibley’s century in Cape TownNo. No. No. And also: no. Not even: no thanks. Not later or maybe or let’s see. This is simply a hard, flat no. And indeed an angry and reproachful no, too. When it comes to the ICC’s suggestion that four-day Test matches may be the future of international red-ball cricket there is only one sensible response. That response is an aggressive, concerted and righteous rejection.
![ICC plan to end five-day Tests would remove all that is best about cricket | Barney Ronay](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/4d88cbd2362023f3486283dd54ce7a994f440ab9/0_159_3400_2040/master/3400.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctb3BpbmlvbnMucG5n&enable=upscale&s=7a73c9264e01528721f7a5f118a8f065)
This is an informed no, too, a no that understands we live in a sporting world dominated by greed and short-termism (otherwise known as the commercial or “real” world). Change and compromise have been the dominant notes of cricket’s evolution over the last few years. A great many lines that shall never be crossed have already been cheerfully discarded, often with no harm done in the process.