The Final Test

Bloomsbury presents The Final Test: The Uncertain Future of Cricket‘s First-Class Game by Huw Turbervill read by Tom Lawrence ‘[A] compelling book… Test cricket is hanging on. It‘s a worry‘ – Graham Gooch ‘Huw Turbervill is the ultimate passionate polemicist for the Test format with a zeal that manages to weave both George Orwell and Basil Fawlty into his arguments‘ – David Gower OBE ‘As cricket expands into ever more formats and franchise leagues, more and more voices are to be heard; but the editor of The Cricketer should always be listened to‘ – Scyld Berry The editor of The Cricketer goes on a soul-searching journey to discover what the future holds for Test cricket. As T20 grows like Japanese knotweed, Test cricket is in mortal danger. White-ball tournaments – mainly T20 and T10 – are now sprouting in places like the US and Saudi Arabia, and Test cricketers are commonly being offered all-year-round contracts by IPL owners, allowing them to play short-form tournaments in the West Indies, the UAE and elsewhere. The IPL has expanded, but Australia‘s Big Bash is contracting; the 2023 men‘s Ashes were concertinaed into a tiny window but The Hundred continues to dominate. Is there still hope for Test cricket in this tumultuous sporting landscape? Turbervill recalls the poignancy of the final Test of the English summer at The Oval in 2022, and describes how the match could be seen as a metaphor for the demise of the longer game. As cricket fans seem divided in the sport‘s own version of the culture wars: traditionalists refusing to accede territory; pragmatists wanting to achieve a healthy balance and progressives conceding the change, Turbervill asks cricketers, commentators and writers about the future of Test cricket. With guest appearances including David Gower, Graham Gooch, Merv Hughes, Reece Topley and many more, this book reveals if Test cricket can truly survive the next decade.