Cricket South Africa is supportive of the International Cricket Council’s proposed trial of four-day Test matches, despite a contrary report.

The ICC might trial four-day Tests between 2023 and 2031, which would effectively allow more days for ODI and T20I cricket.

‘In view of an unsourced and misleading report in the media on Tuesday morning please be advised that it is Cricket South Africa’s official policy to support four-day Test-match cricket,’ read a statement from CSA.

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‘We, in fact, hosted the first official four-day Test match between ourselves and Zimbabwe a couple of years ago,’ added CSA.

The Proteas and Zimbabwe, indeed, contested a four-day day-night Test at St George’s Park in Port Elizabeth in 2017. The hosts won convincingly inside two days.

‘I hope five-day Test cricket doesn’t come to an end. There is only one format and that’s Test cricket. T20 cricketers come and go and the names come and go, Test cricket is the ultimate. Hopefully we can still see five-day Test matches,’ said Proteas all-rounder Vernon Philander earlier this year.

‘I know there has been a lot of talk about having four-day Test matches, but I am a purist when it comes to cricket and I would like to see Test matches survive for five days.’

Philander will retire from Test cricket after the ongoing series against England.

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