Atherton analysed the growing quick finishes in Test cricket, attributing it to several factors. Speaking on Sky Sports during the rain-delayed start to Day 3 of the England vs Pakistan 2nd Test, the former English opener stated that T20 cricket's high-risk batting, bowlers getting an advantage in the World Test Championship period, the DRS technology and a good crop of fast bowlers are reasons for the quick finishes.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"If I give 4-5 reasons from the top of my head, we would go into each one: batting is higher risk now because of T20 cricket. If you take more risk, you have more chance of getting out. There's a good crop of fast bowlers around right now. DRS has had an impact; umpires are more likely to give LBWs.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Pitches have become more advantageous since the advent of the World Test Championship; teams are generally looking to get home advantage more. So, whether it is turning pitches in India, or seam-friendly pitches in England, pitches have become more bowling-friendly since the advent of WTC,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Atherton also listed the quick finishes in this decade as more than the previous decades, comparing them to the completions in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. Sky Sports put a graphic of the day-wise finishes in the last decades, as Atherton detailed on them.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"Pitches have become more advantageous since the advent of the World Test Championship; teams are generally looking to get home advantage more. So, whether it is turning pitches in India, or seam-friendly pitches in England, pitches have become more bowling-friendly since the advent of WTC,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"In the last decade (from 2017-current), there have been nine occasions where Test matches have finished in two days, and there wasn't a single two-day Test between 1946 and 2000. The Test matches are going quicker,\" he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n